Cult Hunters: A How-To Guide To New York City
by Zexion666
Summary: Rule #1 in the Law And Order Handbook: Don't Pull Out The Knife! (A.K.A.: WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE 2; RONIN WARRIORS GAIDEN)
1. Home Sweet Home

_**A/N: I DO NOT OWN RONIN WARRIORS; IF I DID, I WOULDN'T BE WRITING FANFICTION!**_

* * *

_**Baby Magic.**_

Gasping, I sit up in bed. I'm panting, and am caked in sweat, but get my bearings quickly and realize I'm at home alone, but okay. Curling my knees up, I lean my forehead on them for a moment then turn and look at the clock.

_4 am_. Again. I wake up every morning at 4 am, probably because whenever Sage is here, he wakes up that early to meditate; I gotta give the guy credit for being dedicated to his craft.

Anzen is curled up on the discarded pillow on the other side of the queen sized mattress. Buddo sleeps outside these days, content to the porch when it rains or the patio when it's warm.

I've been living in Mia's attic ever since the Netherworld. Cye wants me to move into his spare bedroom in his flat in Tokyo, but I just can't see being in the middle of the city yet. I like being outside; I'd sleep in a tent if I had one.

Even though Sage isn't here, I get up and grab the green blazer he left here before going to New York; something about a family heirloom Columbia University came across in its oldest archives. Sage is a _Gladiophile_, at least that's what Rowan calls him. Based on the latin for "sword" - Gladio ( like gladiator; one who uses swords), and "obsession" - Phile. Rowan's an ass, but he's not wrong, and Sage thanked him for coming up with an official name, because "sword aficionado" sounds pretentious. _Gladiophile_ is at least cool. Then of course Rowan goes on about some intended sexual connotation, to which Sage replied "why yes, I _do_ have a sword". And that was that; Rowan can't win. Thank heaven - or halo in this case.

My mind always runs amok when I'm alone, so this early I always make a cup of tea and head out to see if Buddo's puttering around. He swears he found a Tanuki; Anzen even got all excited about it. I don't see the big guy out the kitchen window, and it's a nice night, so if he were asleep he'd be right there on the patio; guess he's off chasing his Tanuki.

As I steep the cup of snow-monkey-plum-tea (it's called), I think about the nightmares; some about badamon, some about pyramid head, or Talpa. They're common, even Sage has them, waking up in the middle of the night trying to get away from something and falls off the bed. I wish I could laugh it off as just a dream, but what we experienced will stay with us for the rest of our lives; all of us.

Even poor Yuli wakes up scared sometimes, and I can hear him running to Ryo's room mewling. Ryo lives downstairs, and the guys end up here once or twice a month, we have a grill-out and don't talk about demons. We all have our coping and relaxing mechanisms: Sage's is meditation, mine is yoga and tea, Rowan's is weed and world of warcraft, Kento's is family, Cye's is poking his nose in everyone else's coping mechanisms; makes him feel present, and Ryo's is online dating. Go figure.

When Rowan comes over, he Cye and I steal away to the dock and get high. Cye lost his mom recently, Rowan's mom is coming to town in a week, Sage is teaching a kendo class at his family's dojo six days a week, Ryo plays soccer with White Blaze, Buddo, and Yuli, and sometimes Mia and I join in but I'm not really athletic. As far as I know, Kento cooks in his family's restaurant downtown; Wai Yu Man Chin (some ancient Chinese proverb; I dunno, I don't speak Chinese). We're all just living our lives. My dad comes around once in a while, but Soul Society rules and all say he really isn't supposed to be here. I'm glad it doesn't stop him.

"Hey." Ryo says.

"GOB-stoppers!" I gasp, jumping onto the counter.

"Woah!" Ryo gasps, stepping back with his hands up in surrender. "Chill."

"Ryo, geezus, don't do that." I pant. "God…" I put a hand to my forehead and then climb down.

"Sorry." Ryo startles. "I said your name three times." he holds up three fingers. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing." I get it together then turn to him. "I'm sorry. Nothing." I take a breath and let it out. "My mind was just way out there." I make a sweeping gesture with one arm toward the windows.

Ryo and I stand in silence for a few seconds then Ryo slowly smiles. I smile, and we chuckle softly over it.

"Y'know, if you're the scariest thing in this world now, I think I'm gonna be okay." I chuckle, dropping the steeped tea bag in the trash then shake my head and walk to the kitchen. "Good morning, by the way." I snort, and then leave as Ryo's chuckling, "yeah, g'morning."

When I get to the attic stairs, I can hear my cell ringing, and gasp, and try to keep the teacup level as I go up the stairs quickly in bare feet, hissing, "shit, shit, shit."

It's 4 am, but not 4am in New York, unless it's Rowan; he calls sometimes in the middle of the night just to validate he's actually awake.

Unknown Number.

"Hello!" I gasp, just a little panicked. "Hello, I'm here. Hi."

_-Hey.-_ Sage's voice is startled. _-Everything alright?-_

"Yeah, I was in the kitchen." I swing the cup of tea carefully around and set it on the end table.

_-Good, I was afraid I'd be waking you.-_ Sage says.

"Awoken by my boyfriend, at 4am? Like _that's_ ever happened." I tease. "Like, ever, when you get up to meditate."

_-Yeah.-_ Sage's voice drops. _-Sorry.-_

"I like it when you wake me up." I say. "How's New York?"

_-Busy.-_ Sage scoffs. _-It's true what they say; this city never sleeps.-_ he chuckles. _-I keep waiting for a lull, but there's not. Cars, people, sirens; all day and all night.-_

"Wow." I say thoughtfully and sip the hot tea. "Sounds different."

_-Very different, even than Tokyo.-_ Sage says. _-Not that I spend a lot of time in Tokyo.-_

"Only when there's demons there." I say and then catch myself. "That's not funny, I'm sorry."

_-It...kind of is. I mean, it's fine; I'm glad you said that.-_ Sage chuckles slightly.

"Speaking of sleep, have you?" I fidget with my toes, considering getting a pedicure later; I bet I could get Mia all excited about a mani pedi too.

_-Not really.-_ Sage yawns, aptly. _-I did a lot of walking today, just exploring around. I went to Central Park, too.-_

"Ooh," I whisper. "Tell me everything."

_-Well, there was an old man, standing on a bench shouting about jesus and the end of the world.-_ Sage grunts. _-I was tempted to tell him the end of the world has come and gone already.-_

I smile. "Did you actually say that to him?"

_-No. Hm. I probably should have.-_

"I love you for thinking it." I grab the teacup again, and sip it.

_-What are you drinking?-_ Sage asks.

"Snow-monkey-plum." I reply, setting the cup down again.

_-Can I say something personal?-_ Sage is so funny about certain things; part of how he was raised, I guess.

"Of course." I wish I could see his face right now. He gets this concerned look when he says something personal to me, like I'm gonna get offended or upset in some way.

_-One of my favorite things to do is kiss you when you're drinking snow-monkey-plum tea.-_ I can practically see him blushing and squinting at the phone.

I blush and hold in the excited little giggle and hop on the bed a little before trying to say in a controlled voice. "Really?"

_-Yeees.-_ Sage says carefully. _-Is that okay?-_

"Of course!" I try not to shriek giddily at him. "I'll drink it every time you come over from now on."

_-Okay.-_ Sage's voice is soft again. _-Oh! I found some decent hot-pot too.-_

I snort. "You and your hot pot. Is it as good as Cye makes?"

_-No.-_ Sage says firmly. _-but it's fine.-_

There's a calming, comfortable silence, and Sage sighs.

"So have you seen it yet?" I ask in intrigue.

_-Seen...what?-_ Sage asks.

"The sword!" I gleefully whisper. "Have you seen it yet; is it your great-great-grandfather's sword?"

Sage sighs, but in that excited way when he's about to talk about swords or racing. _-No, I haven't seen it yet.-_ he enthuses. _-but I'm meeting the curator for dinner tonight, and he'll take me to the lab at the university to check out the sword.-_ he shifts wherever he's sitting by the scraping noise in the background. _-The photo they sent me was really grainy too; something about the old computer systems.-_

"You sound excited." I sip the tea again.

_-Of course I am; this could change my family's proposed timeline of when Masamune Date settled in Sendai; these artifacts shouldn't have ever left Japan, it could mean an entire decade or so of his life may have been spent in colonial america.-_

"I haven't heard you excited in a while; I'm glad you're happy." I lay on my back, looking up at the ceiling.

_-I'm happy when I'm with you.-_ Sage says quietly, as if someone is going to hear him. _-I wish you had come with me.-_

"I dunno," I pout. "Going back to that country just isn't something I'm wanting to do." I roll onto my side, and watch the open window. "Like, ever."

_-I understand.-_ Sage sighs. _-Oh, speaking of this country; I found an Alice in Wonderland -themed statue in Central Park.-_

"No way, really?" I beam. "Take a selfie with Alice."

_-What?-_ Sage pretends to whine. _-Okay. I have to go through Central Park to get to where I'm meeting the curator for dinner.-_

"Yay!" I grin.

_-So, I know it's not your favorite country, but it is New York; do you want me to bring you back a souvenir?-_ Sage asks. _-I'm happy to.-_

I give that a little thought. "Mmm, no, I don't think so. Just you and Alice."

Sage is quiet for a second and then says. _-okay.-_

I roll back onto my back, and sigh. "What did you dooo?"

Sage mumbles. _-I got you a tote bag.-_

I laugh out loud. "A tote bag? Oh, i love you; i love tote bags!" I cover my mouth, remembering the attic has no door, and i should be quiet.

_-I know.-_ Sage is smiling, I can hear it in his voice. _-You and your tote bags.-_

"Hot pot." I mutter.

_-tote bag.-_ Sage mutters back. _-I'll be back for Ryo's party, too, so could you do me a favor?-_

"Sure, speed racer, what's the favor?" I sit up.

_-Can you get Cye to stop sending me reminder texts every few hours? I know Ryo's_ _party is Thursday, and yes I'll be there.-_ Sage says, annoyed.

I snort. "Um, can't you just tell him that?"

-_I did.-_ Sage grouses.

"Ah." I chuckle slightly. "Can do." I sip the tea again.

-_And voicemails._\- Sage adds.

"Uh huh." I squint down at the tea.

-_And emails.- _Sage goes on. -_Please?-_

"Rubbing my eyes with one hand, the teacup nested between my crosses ankles, I let out an exasperated breath. "Cye…"

-_I appreciate it already, Emiko.-_ Sage says.

"Yeah, you can bet when I'm through with him, he'll never alert you to your own absence ever again for as long as you live." I pluck the mug from between my ankles and finish the contents off.

-_You're the best.-_ Sage sighs.

"I know." I set the empty cup on the nightstand.

_-Any more nightmares?- Sage asks._

"Yes." I say. "Nothing new," I say then recall. "Wait, there was that woman again - the one who's name I can never remember." I bite my lip. "Alana? Laura?"

_-I can't remember either; weird, I know you told it to me.-_ Sage says. -_Anyway, don't worry about it too much, okay?- Sage asks. -Okaaay?-_

"Yeah." I say suddenly. "Yeah, I hear you; I'm also worried about the fact that you have you-know-what with you."

_-I take it everywhere.- Sage says._

"I know, just don't let it out of your sight." I know he won't, but it makes me feel better to remind him.

-_Of course not. Hey, I should go.- _Sage says.-_Long distance, and I should get some sleep before meeting the curator.-_

"Don't stay up too long nerding out over the sword, okay? You'll have two days with it, and who knows? If it's your family's, you might be bringing it home with you and the tote bag." I grin, sliding off the bed to stand up.

_-Hopefully.- Sage sound excited again. -But hey, one more thing.-_

"Yeah?" I pick up the tea cup.

-_I love you, and I'll see you Thursday.-_

I smile. "I love you too, get some sleep."


	2. Thursday

_**A/N: I DO NOT OWN RONIN WARRIORS; IF I DID, I WOULDN'T BE WRITING FANFICTION!**_

* * *

"When does his flight come in?" Cye nags as we're unloading crates from the truck. On the side is a golden dragon logo for "Wai Yu Man Chin"; the Fung-family restaurant. Kento says the name is some ancient chinese proverb, but I've never understood it.

"Five-thirty." I say.

"Cutting it a bit close, isn't he?" Cye grouses as we head to the elevator.

"Stop bitching, he did the best he could with available flights on short notice." I grunt as I set the box down. "What's in this box anyway, Cye? It weighs a ton!" I gasp and stand up, my back cracking from the strain.

"Drinks." Cye shrugs.

"Doesn't the venue have a full, open bar?" I sit on the crate as the elevator starts to ascend.

"That's Italian Sweet Prosecco!" Cye exclaims.

"Huh?" I look at the crate. "Say what?"

"Your _ass_ is on 300,000 yen in Italian Sweet Prosecco!" Cye's voice cracks.

"AA!" I stand up. "What does that mean? What is it?" I back away from the crate.

"Sparkling _wine_." Cye glares at me.

"Three-hundred thousand bottles?!" I gasp. "What are they, the size of thimbles?!"

Cye rolls his eyes. "You dear, sweet, thing, you. I said _three-hundred-thousand-yen._" Cye reiterates.

I do some mental calculations. Take the two zeroes at the end, and put decimal point in front of them. "Three -thousand dollars worth." I say.

"Yes, whatever currency makes you happy." Cye shrugs.

"Why do you have expensive italian sparkling wine in an elevator in Tokyo?" I ask.

"Because Ryo is turning 18 and I wanted to spend the money." Cye scoffs. "What did _you_ get him?"

I look down at myself then shrug. "A gift card."

"For what?" Cye raises an eyebrow.

"The sports emporium; figured he could get new cleats or a ball or something." I say; I thought it was a nice gift; Ryo was just griping recently about his old cleats.

"Hm." Cye grunts and gives me one of his pitying smiles. He always gets stressed out before a party; the man likes to plan.

The elevator doors open.

"Here then, you take _this_." Cye lumps the box he's holding into my arms, and then picks up the crate of wine.

"Sure." I follow him out slowly, keeping my distance.

Kento looks at Cye as he passes him then looks at me and points in the general direction Cye is walking. "What's with him?"

"I sat on his wine." I frown.

"Ohh!" Kento chuckles, glancing at the bar.

Cye is setting the crate down and lets out a satisfied sort of breath.

"Yeah, I used the crate as a stepstool earlier, just thinking it was nothing." Kento shrugs. "Don't sweat it. Here." He takes the box I'm barely holding onto.

"He yelled at me." I snort. "Like it's so important."

Kento shrugs. "Yeah, he threw me about ten feet, over a table in the kitchen at home."

"Serious?" I whine. "It's _wine_."

"It's _I-tal-i-an_!" Cye enunciates, holding up a bottle.

"Fine." I mimic his tone, arms folded then keep talking to Kento. "So he has 300,000 yen just laying around to buy expensive," I turn and squint at Cye. "_Italian_," Then I turn back to Kento. " wine with?"

Kento chuckles. "Yeah, I mean we all do!" He shrugs a shoulder. "I used mine to get a new transmission for my dad's truck; the one downstairs."

I shrug and shake my head. "What do you mean? I'm not rich."

Kento looks up at me with this really confused face then asks. "You...didn't get my text?"

"Text?" I scrunch my nose. "I don't think you've ever texted me." I frown slightly. "I don't think I even have your number in my phone."

Kento turns, calling out to Cye. "Did you get my text, man?"

"About what?" Cye shrugs, pouring a glass of wine.

"The 3-million." Kento says.

"Well, of course, how in the world do you think I could afford _this_ lot?" Cye says, lifting the bottle of wine to indicate then sets the bottle on the bar.

"3-million what?" I ask.

"Yen." Kento says. "The lottery money." He takes his phone out. "See?" He shows me a text that reads in big capital letters; _**WHO WANTS 300,000 yen?!**_

My eyes get huge. "That was a thing?! I thought that was some spam message, and I deleted it!"

Cye walks up, hands me a glass of the wine he was pouring then sits on one of the couches. "Congratulations, you're temporarily wealthy just like the rest of us." He sips the wine and makes this really contented face.

"You're joking!" I exclaim. "300,000 yen could pay my entrance fees for Saotome!"

"What's a Saotome?" Kento asks.

"An art school I wanna take the entrance exam for; they have the best costume design program in the country." I say.

"Yazagaku is _tailored_, pun intended, to what you're looking for, lovey." Cye tilts his head back to say.

"Yeah, and it's five times as expensive." I frown. "It'd be nice, but I'm not made of money, even _with_ 300,000 yen at my disposal."

"Suit yourself; it's called '_costume design_' for a reason." Cye leans his head forward again.

"Sewing is sewing, I can learn more designing idol costumes than jeans." I fold my arms.

"Sounds great, pretty girl." Kento interjects before Cye can carry on. "I'll get you the account info, and you can pay your exam fees." He grins. "Sound good?"

"Yeah, sounds great, but Kento, are you sure you wanna give up 3-million yen? You could do a lot with it."

"Pff!" Kento laughs. "No way, I'm not gonna spend that much money by myself!"

"Take the money, and have a drink with me!" Cye calls out.

I smile at the back of his head then turn and nod at Kento.

Kento grins.

We sit and finish off a bottle of Cye's expensive wine, and I get the account information from Kento, with an atm card with my name on it.

"Three-hundred-thousand." I mumble, clutching my purse against my chest, suddenly very aware of the six-digit figure hiding in my wallet. I'm heading for the station so I can go home and get ready for the party, go to the airport and surprise Sage and then head to the party together.

Buddo's sitting on the porch when I walk up. Mia and Ryo are talking on the porch swing.

"Hey guys." I smile. "Happy birthday, Ryo."

"Thanks." Ryo smiles. "So what's the big secret, huh? You've been running around with Kento and Cye all day; I'm curious."

"Aww, don't spoil the surprise." Mia gives Ryo's arm a little punch. "Just get dressed up; it'll be fun."

Ryo shrugs.

"Speaking of which, I'm gonna get ready and then head to the airport to get Sage. See you guys later!" I wave as I head inside.

Buddo's sitting in the hallway at the bottom of the stairs, wagging his tail when he sees me walk up.

"Hey you; did you catch that Tanuki yet?" I wink.

Buddo grins.

I made my dress myself, out of the rest of that bolt of green and purple gingham fabric; it's short, and ruffly, and has a big, purple and green bow made of fabric ribbon on one side. I put little green and purple flowers in my up-done curly red hair, and head down. Buddo goes around, out the patio door, and meets me out front.

"Wow!" Ryo and Mia are still sitting on the porch swing.

"Thanks." I grin, carrying a garment bag.

"You guys weren't kidding; you're really dressed up, Emiko." Ryo beams.

"It's your 18th birthday, Ryo; you're the last ronin to hit drinking age." I grin and wink.

"Oh, I see where this is going." Ryo smirks and folds his arms. "Kento's not gonna throw a water balloon full of vodka at me, like he did to Rowan is he?"

"No." I cross my heart, which I realize a second too late is my boob that's bulging slightly above the sweetheart neckline of my dress. "Cross my heart, that was a tailor-made prank for Rowan." I wink.

Buddo stomps his front hooves impatiently.

"Okay, okay!" I have a huge bowtie I made from the fabric, and tie it around Buddo's neck, adjusting it so it doesn't flop around.

"Oh, Mia, White Blaze's bowtie is on your bed, okay?" I grin as Buddo gives me a leg up.

"Got it. You look great; see you there!" Mia is hopping up and down and waving.

We head off, getting looks and shout-outs in traffic as we head to the airport.

I made a little hat for Anzen to wear at the party, made out of scraps of ribbon and fabric. I'm sitting with her at the international arrivals gate; Sage's plane should be landing right this second, and taxing in.

"There. Ready to party." I grin.

Anzen hops down off the arm of the chair and hops over to a metal pillar she can see herself in, and preens .

"That's so precious." A woman behind me says. "You're so spiffed up; waiting for someone special?"

I'm technically dressed up for Ryo's party, but I smile and just say. "Yes. Very special."

"Oh, what fun." The woman smiles. "My daughter is going to school in Germany; this is the first she's been home in a year - she was so excited, she said, 'mom I have a layover in new york, i hope i get to see the statue of liberty'."

"That's so sweet." I beam.

People are coming out of the arrivals gate, and a girl with blue hair runs up and hugs the woman I was talking to.

"Did you see it?" The woman asks.

"Yes, twice! Once when we landed and again when we took off."

"How wonderful!" The woman beams.

Anzen sits by my feet, and we watch the people go by; i couldn't have missed him - he's so tall and noticeable. Plus i know he would walk right up to me.

"Is everything alright, dear?" the woman asks.

"Yes," I answer without looking at her. "It's a big plane." But I know Sage had first-class seating. He'd sent me a text message when he got on the plane of the cubicles in first class.

"She looks very pretty." her daughter whispers.

"She's waiting for someone very special." The woman replies, but sadly.

When I see the crew, my heart slumps a little; the crew is always the last off the plane.

Looking down at my phone, I had sent Sage a text that I'm here, with no reply. I bite my lip, look down Anzen, and shrug.

Anzen chirps disappointedly, and steps up onto my hand as I collect her. With another glance back at the gate, I sigh and head out to meet Buddo, and go the party...I guess.


	3. Jet Lag, and Slippers, and Wine, Oh My!

_**A/N: I DO NOT OWN RONIN WARRIORS, IF I DID I WOULDN'T BE WRITING FANFICTION!**_

* * *

With hope, I'm waiting in the lobby for Sage when someone walks in and stops, but I'm not really paying attention to who it is.

"Woah." I hear a voice say.

He's standing there in a dark jacket, light brown slacks, and black loafers. He's wearing a white shirt, and blue and yellow striped tie that's just out of place but so very Kento.

"Kento?" I gasp. "Why aren't you upstairs already, Ryo's gonna be here any second."

Kento looks me up and down and then shakes his head a little as he replies. "Yeah, um, I mean _you too_, pretty girl." he forces a chuckle - it's weird. "What are - uh - what are you doin' down here anyway?"

"Waiting for Sage." I sigh. "He didn't get off the plane, I thought maybe we just missed each other."

"Riiight." Kento nods sort of slow-like. "Hey, listen, Sage'll be fine; come on up so we can surprise Ryo." He holds out his hand.

I shake my head. "No, I'm gonna wait; besides, when Ryo gets here, I can text you guys so you're ready for him." I smile and shrug.

Kento slowly lowers his hand, and nods. "Cool. Good idea; I'll just," He gestures with a thumb to the elevator. "I'll see ya then." He gives a little wave and heads over to the elevator.

I watch Kento walk away, and he glances back, and gives me another little wave before stepping onto the elevator. He's such a nice guy - too bad I'm already with Sage.

I look out the window again and sigh; might as well keep my eyes peeled for Ryo too, now that I'm unofficially a lookout for the birthday boy.

When Ryo walks up, he looks perfect; wearing light-colored slacks and a dark jacket, and purple cumberbund. His red bowtie matches his red handkerchief in his pocket.

Ryo notices me staring and says, "Mia dressed me. Or, no didn't actually put the clothes on me; she picked them out." He says awkwardly.

"Oh, no, it's nice. You look nice." I smile.

"Thanks." Ryo looks down at himself then points at the elevator. "Should we go up together?"

I shake my head. "No, I'm waiting to see if Sage shows up."

"Okay, well, don't miss the party." Ryo says, bowing slightly then heads for the elevator. He comes back suddenly, and says. "Should I maybe have worn a poncho?" He asks.

"Poncho." I frown. "Why would you wear a poncho? Like a rain poncho?"

Ryo nods. "Yeah, I mean after that whole 'osake' in 'osaka' thing on Rowan's birthday?"

"Ohh!" I snort and shake my head. "No, no, no that was special for Rowan, I promise." I smile. "Because he's kind of a dick."

Ryo snorts and nods. "Okay. I'm gonna hold you to that."

I nod back. "You should."

Ryo chuckles and actually gets on the elevator this time.

Around 7, I get a pit in my stomach, and call Sage's mom to see if maybe I just didn't get some message; which would be totally unlike Sage.

_-Well hi there sweetie; how's the party?-_ Mariko positively titters.

"It's fine, um - hey, did Sage call you at all when he was checking in for his flight or anything?" I ask nervously.

_-Well, no, as a matter of fact; I was thinking the first I would see him is tomorrow morning, if you know what I mean?- _I can practically hear Mariko winking on the other side of the phone, especially if she's sitting with ; they like to do that awkward parent know-it-all thing.

"Yeah. I'm just...worried." I sigh.

_-Oh don't be; these things happen. I'm sure if anything is wrong, he'll call, sweetie. Try to enjoy yourself. Then you can tell him how much fun he missed!-_ Mariko laughs.

"Sure." I let myself smile a little. "Anyway, see you Sunday."

_-You too sweetie.- _Mariko sighs in amusement.

I slip my cell phone into my little clutch, and head to the elevator. When the doors open to pick me up, Kento's in the elevator.

"What a surprise; leaving the party so soon?" I ask, stepping onto the elevator.

"No, actually, coming down to see if you're okay." He says, his brow pinched slightly in concern.

"Don't be silly, i'm fine; besides." I fold my arms loosely. "Worrying about me is _Cye's_ job, didn't you get the memo?" I tease.

Kento smirks. "Yeah, I mean…" he shrugs. "Yeah. Sure, pretty girl."

The elevator stops on the desired floor, and I step out.

Buddo trots by, and noisemaker in his mouth, honking it delightedly. White Blaze is trotting alongside Buddo at the same pace, and Anzen is sitting on the horse's head, cawing along with the honking.

"Okaaay, wise guys!" I call out. "Who gave the animals liqueur and noise makers?" I prop my hands on my hips.

"ME!" Rowan shoots his hand up. "ME! I SO DID!" He shouts, laughing hysterically.

"I was joking about the liquor." I say pointedly.

"I wasn't!" Rowan claps his hands and almost falls off the chair he's sitting in.

"Apparently." I say and turn toward the bar, bumping Kento. "Oh! Geezus, I'm sorry -blindspot." I chuckle and move past him.

Cye is watching me over the rim of the wine glass he's nursing; or it at least _looks_ like he's watching me. He's squinting at _something_, and as I get closer I realize it's Kento.

"What are you staring at?" I ask.

Cye lowers his glass, continuing to stare a little and mumbles. "Kento's boner."

"What?!" I exclaim.

Cye says louder. "I said your brother gave your horse a bottle of jack and told him to drink it."

As I turn and shout, "Rowan!", the man has leapt out of his chair, is running across the room in a weird high-knees trot, and slams the bathroom door behind him, the little lock clicking to red status. I shake my head and turn to Cye.

Cye blinks at me, smiling tipsily. "How are you, love? You look smashing, by the by."

"Thank you, and I'm fine, I suppose." I frown slightly.

"No, 'fine, I suppose' won't do. Here you are!" He pours me a glass of his expensive italian wine.

"Thanks." I smile and sip. "Ooh, that is _tasty_."

Cye nods with his glass to his lips, and his eyebrows lift a tad in agreement.

"Hey man," Kento climbs up onto the barstool right next to me, and says to Cye. "Can I get some of that expensive English wine?"

Cye squints at him, his voice echoing in the glass. "_Italian_."

"Right." Kento nods.

Cye continues to squint at Kento, slurping his glass loudly.

"Here." I slide Kento my glass then turn to Cye. "Sage either ditched his plane, or missed it for reasons unknown, and I'm about to tear my hair out. Can I have some of your booze?"

Cye waggles a finger at me, and says into his glass. "That's _cheating_."

"I know." I nod. "Sorry not sorry."

Cye lowers the glass and pours me another, giving Kento a squinty-eyed look.

Kento snorts. "Dude, how much of that have _you_ had?"

Cye slinks away to the other side of the bar, downing his glass and does this little slide down the wall to get another bottle out of the crate below.

"So much that he needs to support himself on the wall to get another bottle, apparently." I chuckle slightly.

Kento shakes his head, smirking. "Dude."

Ryo comes over and sits at the bar with us. "You guys having the party over here?" He's got sushi on a plate, and a glass of something maybe beer-like.

"No, sorry, happy birthday; we're trying to figure out how drunk Cye is." I look back at Cye as he's corking the bottle and starting a new glass. "He's very good at hiding it, but we're pretty sure he has to support himself on the wall to retrieve anything off the floor."

"So knock him over." Ryo points with his chopsticks, and snickers.

Kento stands up on the bar of the stool, and swipes at Cye.

Cye leisurely moves out of the way, and then comes back.

"Smooth." I say. "Like me and barbeque eel." I say, looking at Ryo's plate then the table and gasp.

"It's good for memory." Cye says. "You'll remember your moment sitting next to Kento," and then mumbles into his glass. "And his boner."

"Dude!" Kento growls.

Ryo laughs.

Mia just shakes her head as I walk over. "Come over here, away from the boys." She grimaces. "Is Rowan still in the bathroom?" She looks at the door, the lock still red.

"He's just hiding." I scoff, and walk over to the door. "Hey." I knock. "Hey, hey, hey!"

Inside the bathroom, Rowan echoes. "Hey, hey, hey!"

"Come on out, I'm not gonna kill you; Buddo's laying on his back whistling now." I look at the horse and shake my head. "He's happy with whatever you did."

The door opens, and Rowan is wearing his glasses, which means he's drunk enough that his vision is going weird. "Where?" He leans around the corner, and that's when I smell the weed.

"Ahff!" I cough. "Is that spider silk?" I cough. "Oh _man_, blaze that shit by a window."

"Who has weed!" Cye exclaims.

"Who do you think?" I cough.

Cye marches over, glass in hand, pushes past Rowan and takes the cigarette.

Rowan wiggles his eyebrows at me, closes the door and locks it again.

I shake my head, and smile. "Boys…"

"What is going on?" Mia balls her hands on her hips.

"Rowan and Cye are getting high in the bathroom, and I'm pretty sure we should just ditch them here, go get some ramen, and Ryo should open his presents." I grin.

Yuli, Ryo, and Kento laugh.

Mia's trying not to laugh, licking her lips and forcing her mouth to frown even though it obviously wants to smile.

They come out fifteen minutes later, and Ryo opens his presents and totally loves the gift card I gave him, and the party goes on until the food is almost gone, and the alcohol has all but worn off.

Downstairs, as Cye and Kento are moving tables and chairs out, I've been instructed to not help, and Rowan is laying with his head on my lap, looking at his phone.

"Whattya think it is?" Rowan asks.

"What is?" I ask, my chin leaning on my hand as I watch Buddo watching Cye and Kento. Yuli put a party hat on the horse's ear about an hour ago, and Buddo's kept it there so far.

"Why Sage ain't here?" Rowan asks. "Think he's still lookin' at that fuckin' sword?"

I sigh. "Maybe. It's fine." I look down at him then take my phone out of my purse. There's a couple of roll-over emails from Sage's account. He wanted me to get copies of his itineraires and confirmations in case something went wrong with his flight or reservations.

"Maybe he met some sword-obsessed chick, and they're fucking on the table next to the thing." Rowan thinks this is funny.

I just sigh, and shake my head. "Whatever, Row."

"I'm serious, an' I know you like the guy, but what've you got in common besides demons?" Rowan asks.

"A pulse." I say.

Rowan snorts. "Nah, that guy's dead. Dead sense o' humor, dead sense of style, dead sense o' romance. Dead."

"Nice to know you're warming up to him." I scroll through the e-mail. It's a confirmation that Sage missed his flight, but will still be charged for the non-refundable ticket.

"Hey, I'm sorry; I don't like the guy. I'll work with him, but I don't have to like 'im." Rowan sits up then turns to face me. "So why do you?'

"He's nice." I say and look at Rowan. "Unlike some people."

"I ain't mean; I'm obnoxious." Rowan gives me this little smile. "And Sage is prick."

"Second!" Cye says as he walks past.

I scoff. "Hey! Come on, guys, he's your friend!"

"If we can't say anything nice to each other, we'll not say anything at all." Mia says in a 'mom' tone. "Rowan, Cye, be nice to Emiko."

"We _are_ nice to Emiko." Cye walks up and kisses my cheek. "We're talking about _Sage_."

"What about Sage?" Yuli asks, coming to sit on the adjacent couch.

"Sage is a prick." Rowan says.

"Shh~stop." I punch Rowan in the chest.

"What's a prick?" Yuli asks.

I squint at Rowan. "Nice going, _prick_."

"Alright!" Mia calls out. "I mean it!"

Kento and Ryo are snickering.

I shake my head at Rowan then look at my phone, and check the second e-mail. "That's...well I guess that makes sense."

"Whatsit?" Rowan leans over, looking at my phone screen, and pulls his glasses down his nose then pushes them back up.

"It's a cc email from the hotel saying Sage's credit card is going to be charged for another night because he didn't check out of his hotel." I bite my fingernail. "I mean, he missed his flight." I shrug and look at Rowan. "Right?"

Rowan gives me this pointed look. "Sword boy met a Sword Girl."

I shake my head, and put my phone away. "No."

"Em, I'm jokin'." Rowan grabs the hem of my dress as I stand up. "C'mon, I'm just kidding."

"Well, I'm not. He wouldn't be _this_ delayed and not call anyone." I say.

"Ya mean, not call _you_?" Rowan snorts.

"Yes, but I called his mom, and noone's heard from Sage either." I fold my arms.

"Emiko?" Mia walks up, wringing her hands.

"Hey, I wasn't the one calling Sage -" I look at Yuli. "Bad names." I look back at Mia.

Mia shakes her head. "No, it's not that." She looks worried. "You're sure Sage's family hasn't heard from him?"

"Yeah, I'm sure; why?" I ask.

"Because I think Sage might be in trouble." She sighs.

"Wait, why?" I ask at the same time the others say similar things and gather around.

"There was a news story; I only caught the tail-end of it, but Ryo saw the whole thing. There were photographs of the halo armor." Mia worries more. "The headlines were from New York, and broke three days ago."

"I talked to Sage three days ago on the phone, before he went to meet the curator." I say, my brain putting pieces together that I wish didn't fit. "Omigawd." I whisper and look at Rowan then Mia.

"I think we're all fuckin' going to New York." Rowan says.

"It's Ryo, though, he left really suddenly. Someone needs to be with him." Mia says.

"I'll go." Cye says.

"Me too." Kento says. "You guys can still catch a red-eye tonight, and we'll meet you at my Uncle's Restaurant tomorrow evening." Kento says.

"What's the name of the restaurant?" Mia asks, getting a pen out to write it down.

"Chin's Hung Dragon." Cye says.

We all look at Kento with equal expressions of utter disbelief.

"What?" Kento shrugs.

"Is that like, 'Wai Yu Man Chin'?" Rowan snarks.

Kento smirks.

"But that's a proverb." I say. "Wai Yu Man Chin." I say it kind of fast, and as pretty much everyone else is snickering at me, I close my mouth, punch Kento in the arm, and shake my head at him. "Ancient Chinese Proverb…" I glare at him.

"Wait, you _believed_ that bollocks?!" Cye busts up laughing. "Oh my god, you're adorable!"

"Shit." Rowan pats me on the shoulder. "Let's hop a plane."

"We'll have to go straight there." Mia says, looking at her phone. "The red eye leaves in an hour; we'll just make it through security by then. I have a go-bag with some things that'll get us through the flight."

"Well I dunno about the rest of you, but I've got some money thanks to Kento's lottery luck, and I'm just gonna buy something to wear when I get there. See you on the plane!" I walk toward the doors.

"Hey, dammit!" Rowan catches up to me.

Buddo looks at me as I walk up to him.

"You need to go home, Bud. you're drunk; I have to go to New York and save Sage. Dad will be home in a couple of days, so let him know what's going on. Okay?"

The horse kind of stares at me slowly then nods twice.

Anzen croaks, still wearing her party hat. She's got this.

"Okay, please watch where you're flash-stepping." I kiss his nose then head over to Mia's car and get in as she's starting it up.

Mia wasn't kidding. We barely make it, running down the tunnel with Yuli shouting. "Waaaait! We're comiiiing!"

"Oh wow!" The flight attendant beams. "Look at you all; did you escape from a fancy prison, or just flying in style tonight?'

"We gotta go to New York and save Sage!" Yuli exclaims.

"Uhh," Mia chuckles. "What an imagination, huh?" she directs Yuli back toward the economy section.

"Thanks." Rowan says as we pass and head back to our seats.

As the plane is taxing, I turn to Rowan. "Last time I was on a plane, I was _escaping _from that godforsaken country."

Rowan looks at me then takes my hand, his fingers fitting through mine and he holds my hand tightly. "Yeah, i know."

I lean on him, and say. "Never imagined I'd go back."

"It's New York. A good 3 thousand miles away from where you lived." Rowan says.

I nod. "Yeah." I take a breath and let it out gently. "You're right."

After the plane is in the air for a few minutes, and the seat belt sign is turned off, the flight attendant comes back with amenities kits and kneels next to me.

"These are usually business class, but you look so nice I thought you might need to freshen up a bit. It has more in it than that little one in the pocket there." She hands me the little makeup bag with a Japanese designer logo on it. "These two, but we aren't very booked tonight; I thought you might like to change out of that pretty dress for the duration of the flight." she gives me a plastic-wrapped khaki tracksuit with the same designer logo embroidered on the shirt.

"Oh wow, you are a lifesaver - thank you _so much_." I take them gratefully.

"Sir?" The woman asks. "Are you alright in that?"

Rowan nods. "Nah, I'm good; pants are pants. Thanks, though."

She nods, and goes back one aisle to Mia; I think Mia was so grateful she hugged her.

"Thank you!" Mia gasps, unbuckling, and gives me a pat. "Come on, I have makeup wipes in my bag."

We snag a handicapped bathroom because it's bigger, and change out of our dresses; needing each other for zippers and wipe off makeup and take off jewelry and start to feel more relaxed. Coming out, I sigh, and bask for a moment; carrying my heels - my feet stretching out against the carpeted floor of the aisle.

"Me too." Mia sighs behind me.

Getting back to our seats, the same flight attendant has some food, offers to hang up our dresses so they don't get crunched and wrinkled. When she comes back, she says. "So what's the story you guys? Did you run away from a wedding?"

"Sort of." I say between bites of food. "A birthday party, but we didn't, like, _run away_ from it. More like, had just enough time to get from there, to the flight."

"Oh wow," She giggles. "I've jumped my share of parties, but never to go to another country; can I ask what the rush is?"

"It's complicated." Rowan says.

"Oh." the flight attendant nods, but disappointed by the answer.

"He mean, we don't know what's going on; we just have to go find out. It's a friend of ours; he might be in trouble." I explain.

She pouts. "Oh no, well I hope he's okay and all this was just a silly rush to nothing."

"We do too." Mia replies, covering her mouth as she chews.

I get a little sleep, but hear that voice saying **Baby Magic** again, and wake up gasping. Rowan's dead-in-water so to speak, but wakes up in time for breakfast.


	4. Something Smells Like Demon Farts

_**A/N: I DO NOT OWN RONIN WARRIORS, IF I DID I WOULDN'T BE WRITING FANFICTION!**_

When we disembark, the flight attendants all wish us luck.

"Maybe we'll be on your return flight, and you can tell us how it all turned out." the one who was so helpful smiles and bows.

"I will." I say, giving them a little wave.

Mia's already working through plan A-through-Z as we're disembarking. "I called the news station in Japan while we were waiting for our tickets back home, and they said the photos and story came from _this_ station in New York," She shows me the name. "So we should start there, maybe get a lead on the photographer, and find out what the armor of Halo is doing here."

"Because Sage is here." I say. "The armor is here, because Sage." I look around, and spy what I need and start toward it.

"Wait, Emiko!" Mia catches up. "Someone needs to go to the university too."

"Yeah, we'll figure it out." I'm looking through racks.

"What are you looking for?" Mia asks.

"Clothes." I say. "I look like I'm on a track-and-field team."

"Hi there!" The sales girl greets me in English. "I like the tan; tres chique - can I help you find anything?"

"Denim." I say. "Got any jeans?" I look at the pants on the rack. "Preferably that don't say _Juicy_ on the butt?"

She giggles. "Sure do. Skinny or Sailor?"

"Um," I shake my head. "Skinny."

"Great choice!" she leads me over to a rack, and I take my pick.

I get a flowery top too; it's like a tube top with little sleeves, and shows my belly but whatever; at least it doesn't say 'juicy' on the butt or boobs.

Rowan's in jeans and a blue zip-up sweatshirt.

I've got the silver heels on again, and I feel human once more, so to speak; not a high school track star sponsored by JLA.

"I got a suitcase." Rowan holds it up. "You look nice."

"Thanks." I startle. "What's with the hat?" I take the little suitcase and open it up to put my dress and JLA pjs and stuff into it.

"What's with your face?" Rowan quips.

"You're right." I close the suitcase and hand it over to him.

"Okay!" Mia's changed into some of her own clothes from the go-bag. "I don't know why I didn't think of this on the plane." She rolls her eyes and gives her forehead a little smack. "Duh, me."

"Duh, Mia." Yuli parrots. He's got his own clothes too.

"You just," Rowan does a double-take at the bag. "You just carry clothes and shit around in the car with you?"

"It's a girl thing." Yuli says.

"It's a _preparedness_ thing." Mia corrects them both. "Back to business, I was serious about splitting up."

I nod, checking my phone. "It's. Good idea, but I need to go to Sage's hotel first." I gasp.

"What's up?" Rowan asks.

"Someone just paid Sage's bill, with Sage's credit card."

"Fuck." Rowan whispers.

"Indeed." Mia gulps.

"Rowan and I will hit the hotel, Mia start your to-do list." I say, walking past her.

"It would be faster if Rowan goes to the university while Yuli and I go to the newsroom." Mia protests as she hurries after me.

"No one goes anywhere alone; first rule of the netherworld." I hold up one finger for good measure.

"This _isn't_ the Netherworld!" Mia scoffs.

"Really? Because something smells like demon farts, Mia!" I say, walking backward for a few seconds to say that then carry on.

Through security, and onto the taxi stands, we hail a cab and go to Sage's hotel.

"I'm sorry," The receptionist pouts. "That bill was paid remotely; no one came into the building."

"FuuuUUU~..." Rowan goes over to a chair and flops into it.

"Shoot." I slump.

"Um," The man taps his fingers and looks around. "What's your name again?"

"Emiko Ukitake." I say. "Why?"

He opens a drawer and picks out a card. "Yeah, that's it." He nods, and mumbles. "I hope."

"What's what? Rowan!" I exclaim, my hopes rising.

Rowan gets up and comes over.

"Every guest fills out and emergency contact card, and this is you, right?" He points to my name, written in Sage's hand.

"Yes!" I gasp.

"There's a keycard in an envelope, attached to the emergency card.

"I dunno what to tell you, but you can go up." He hands me the card. "Room 2319."

I don't argue or ask questions, just take the good fortune and hurry to the elevator, and hit floor 23.

"Hey," Rowan points to a little plaque notice. "All floors 20 through 30 require keycard access." He reads aloud. Beneath the plaque is a little slot, like a credit card reader.

"Oh." I slip the card in and hit '23' again. The elevator moves this time. "Fancy-pants hotel."

"Rich-ass boyfriend." Rowan mutters.

"Says the guy who lives in an Osaka hi-rise penthouse apartment." I frown at him.

Rowan folds his arms. "My _dad_ lives in an Osaka high-rise penthouse apartment."

"And," I shrug. "You just happen to live with him?"

Rowan frowns at the little LED screen with the floor numbers counting by. "Fuck off…"

When we get to the room, and open the door, it looks like a whirlwind went through here.

"No...fuckin'...way." Rowan mutters.

Someone tore through here, threw Sage's clothes and travel things all over the room, and generally ran amok in here.

"They fucked up the bathroom, too!" Rowan calls out, his voice echoing slightly from the bathroom.

I step lightly, and find a green velvet pouch on the table, discarded...and empty.

"Oh no." I whisper, putting my other hand slowly to my mouth.

"Some fuck was definitely looking for something." Rowan says, coming out of the bathroom.

"Not looking for," I hold up the pouch. "Found."

"Shit." Rowan takes a blue pouch from his own pocket; they're identical save for the color, and inside is the little clear ball that holds the power of his armor. He looks at me, and frowns. "Demon fart."

I nod slowly.

Rowan gets out his cell and dials.

I stuff the little pouch in the pocket of my jeans then start packing up Sage's things into his suitcase.

"Ryo's not answering." Rowan says. "He saw the same news shit Mia was talkin' about."

"He's probably on a plane right now." I say as I fold and pack discarded clothes.

"Right." Rowan leans on the hotel dresser.

I nudge him aside and get into it, finding socks and a handkerchief.

"Oh shit," Rowan mutters, staring at something on his phone.

"What?" I glance over my shoulder. "What are you watching?"

"The news story aired here," Rowan says. "About the Halo armor." He leans over, holding out his phone.

There's an anchor blabbering on about the cell phone video being displayed, with a headline reading: "**SAMURAI SUIT OF ARMOR ATTACKS HARLEM"**. There's photos that flash by of the armor in an alleyway, and a phone number to contact NYPD with any information.

"Wait, pause it." I go over to Sage's stuff and dig for his notepad; must've had it with him when he left to meet the curator. I grab the hotel notepad and pen and jot down the phone number.

"What's up?" Rowan asks.

"I'm calling that number." I say.

"Why? It's a tip line." Rowan frowns.

"So? It's a phone number; we _have_ to go to the police." I say.

"And say what?" Rowan scoffs. "Hey cops, I know that demon armor; we're old chums." He shakes his head. "They'll arrest ya."

"Sage has been kidnapped, and I'm going to file a missing person's report." I say. "Besides, someone went to all the trouble of tracking him down through his family name, luring him here with a story about a family heirloom sword, and then after taking him, came all the way back to his room to get the ball."

Rowan stops and just sighs as he looks down at the floor.

"The police might have information they don't know is relevant." I keep packing, and sniffle. "Even if he's dead, I have to know."

"Hey," Rowan hugs me. "Alright, we'll go ask the cops."

As we're packing stuff up, Rowan finds the tote bag Sage told me about over the phone, and noses in it curiously.

"Don't mess that up, it's mine." I point at Rowan and the tote bag.

"Yeah?" Rowan takes a black bag out of the tote. "This yours too?" He raises an eyebrow.

"What's that?" I ask.

"Shoppin' bag from a fancy-ass jewelry store in Manhattan." Rowan shakes the bag. "With somethin' in it."

"So?" I shrug.

"_Expensive-ass jewelry_." Rowan annunciates, staring right at me, as if I'm supposed to just _know_ what he's talking about.

I shrug again. "Aaand?"

Rowan widens his eyes, darting the look at the bag a couple of times.

"Stop snooping." I groan, and go into the bathroom to get Sage's shaving kit.

"Eeeeeem!" Rowan calls out. "There's somethin' in the boooox!"

"I said stop snooping, jackass." I come out of the bathroom, holding the zip-closed pouch and pause to look at the open box being shoved in my face.

It's a ring. A _ring _ring. It's rose gold, with little, sparkling diamonds set all around it, like a band of sparkling stars.

Grabbing the box, it snaps closed, and I frown at Rowan. "That's private." I take the box, the black bag, and the tote from Rowan and pack them in the suitcase with the shaving kit, trying to keep everything neat.

"You...you ain't gonna marry the prick, are ya?" Rowan asks quietly.

"Who says the ring is for me?" I ask. "Marino and Yayoi wear diamonds like the rest of the world wears socks." I zip-up the suitcase, and lug it off the bed.

"Here, I'll take it." Rowan pulls up the handle of the suitcase, and gestures me to walk ahead of him. I sling Sage's carryon bag around me by the strap and we head downstairs.

As I hand over a credit card to get Sage checked out, Rowan leans on the counter next to me. "Don't use the lottery money on Sage's hotel shit." He mumbles.

"It's not." I say. "It's a credit card."

"You got a credit card?" Rowan raises both eyebrows.

"Yeah." I say. "It's...it's a joint card."

Rowan stares at me, but says nothing. He keeps staring at me like that as we go outside the hotel.

"Can I hail you folks a cab?" The doorman asks.

"Sure." I say. "Thank you."

"Em?" Rowan asks.

"Yeah, Row." I sigh.

"Eeem?" Rowan's voice gets louder.

"Yeah." I say firmly.

"Em!" Rowan exclaims.

"Yesss!" I hiss at him. "It's a _joint_ credit card. Get over it."

"Your cab, kids!" The doorman smiles and waves.

Rowan and I head over and the driver puts our luggage in the trunk as we get in the back seat.

"That's _married people_ stuff, Em." Rowan goes on. "Joint credit card, a fuckin' _engagement ring_…!"

The driver turns to us. "Do you kids speak English."

"Yes." I reply.

"Em!" Rowan pesters me.

"SHH!" I hiss at Rowan then say to the driver. "Police station."

The driver kinda squints.

"Manhattan." I say.

The driver's eyebrows raise, and he squints more. "You know which precinct?"

"Is there, like, a central precinct?" I ask.

"27th precinct, coming up!" The Taxi heads off.

When we get to the station, Rowan is still trying to wheedle at the ring and the credit card, but I ignore him as we lug the luggage into the precinct lobby.

"Stay here." I point at the chairs, and the suitcase.

"No." Rowan says and follows me up to the desk.

I hear the woman mumble. "Ugh...tourists." But she forces a smile as I get to the desk.

"Hi," I say. "I need to report a missing person."

The desk sergeant gives me this thin-lipped grimace, and then shrieks loudly. "RANDY! MISSING PERSON!"

Rowan takes a reflexive step back from the desk.

A man comes out of the doors to her right, and shakes his head at her. He's wearing a nice suit and looks annoyed but when he looks at me, his expression changes to concern then he smiles. "Hi. I'm detective Maclean." He holds out a hand.

I shake it. "Emiko Ukitake."

Detective Maclean startles. "That's a Japanese name."

I nod. "Mm-hm."

In Japanese, he asks. "How can I help you, Miss Ukitake?"

I beam. "No way, you speak Japanese?"

"Yes, my mother was Japanese." Detective Maclean smiles.

"Oh wow!" I grin.

" .Dee." Rowan grumbles and folds his arms.

"Missing Person." The desk sergeant rolls her eyes.

"Ignore Audra; come on back." Detective Maclean takes Rowan and I back to his desk.

There's a dark haired guy at the adjacent desk, and he sits up straight with this enraged look on his face. "No, Ryo, no more strays! No way! Bikky and Carol are too much already!"

Annoyed, but calm, Detective Maclean says in Japanese. "This is Detective Laytner." He looks at him, frowning then says. "He doesn't speak Japanese."

I smile, and sit down in a chair the detective pulls over.

"Did he call you 'Ryo'?" Rowan asks.

Detective Laytner blushes a little, and clears his throat. "Yes. Um, it's my Japanese name, but I don't really go by it."

I giggle; i try not to.

"Is that funny?" the detective asks.

"No, no," I shake my head. "Um, well, kind of."

"Heeey, hey, hey!" Detective Laytner waves a pen at Detective Maclean. "What're you talking about? Is she laughing at me? Ryo!"

"Dee." He hisses at him.

"No, no," I say in English. "We have a friend named Ryo." I explain.

"There." Detective Laytner says satisfied, and gestures to me with his pen. "_She_ speaks _English_."

Rowan snorts.

"Is he the one who's missing?" Detective Maclean asks.

"No," I slump. "It's my boyfriend; Sage Date." I take Sage's picture out of my wallet. "And, believe me, I know how that sounds. He was invited here under false pretenses, and now he's been kidnapped -"

"-kidnapped?" Detective Maclean startles.

"Yes, by an organization that wants the armor, but we don't have anything to go on except that, and you may have information and not even know it's relevant." I go on. "It would be _weird_ information, like cult-ish, ninjas, blood-sacrifices type stuff."

Detectives Laytner _and_ Maclean, and a slew of others in earshot are all looking at me with equal expressions of disbelief.

"Holy hell, Ryo, getter outta here." Detective Laytner says.

"Okay," Rowan leans over me. "I know how _that_ sounds, my sister's just worried about her boyfriend. We wanna report a missing person." He says firmly in Japanese.

Detective Maclean looks at Detective Laytner then says. "Sure."

We fill out the report, and keep getting weird looks the whole time. After the report is filed, Detective Laytner shoos us out, but Detective Maclean comes out a second later.

"Miss Ukitake!" He has a folded up piece of paper.

"No, Ryo, they can't spend the night!" Detective Laytner exclaims.

"What? No, they seem pretty resourceful. I just wanted to give you this; it's a restaurant with pretty good Japanese food." He frowns slightly. "I'm sorry I can't do more for you kids, but we'll keep an eye out for your boyfriend, I promise."

"Don't promise them shit! Kids disappear every day!" Detective Laytner storms inside.

"Well thanks for shit!" Rowan shouts after him, admittedly in Japanese, so it's unlikely Detective laytner caught it.

"Sorry." Detective Maclean gives us a little bow then goes inside.

I unfold the piece of paper; what could eating hurt? It'll give me a chance to call Mia and see what the news desk had to say. I gasp.

"What?" Rowan asks. "Is it actually Korean food?"

Detective MacLean's card is folded up inside, with something written on the paper. I read the writing on the note. "Strange symbols. Possible Cult Activity...and then there's an address - says Warehouse D."

Rowan looks at me. "Japanese food, huh?"

I look back at him.

We both run out to the curb, and wave an arm, shouting. "TAXIII!"

The taxi can't get out of here fast enough, but that's okay. Still dragging the suitcase around, we head inside.

"Aw shit, you smell that?" Rowan covers his face.

"Yeah." I gasp. "Blood."

Using our cell phones as flashlights, we go inside; there's no crime scene tape, and it looks like whoever investigated didn't do much. There's an alter looking thing, with symbols written in blood all around it. Rowan steps up to investigate.

I call Detective Maclean's number.

"Who ya callin'?" Rowan whispers.

"Detective Ryo." I say.

-_Homicide, this is Maclean.-_

"Homicide?" I gasp.

_-Miss Ukitake, hi,- he sounds jovial. -Sure, it's no problem; how's the food?-_

"Bad. Very very bad." I say. "Is this human blood at the crime scene?"

_-No, no,- he chuckles, postering for whoever's listening, no doubt. -It's gyro also. Good gyros, by the way.-_

"It's goat blood." I hiss at Rowan. "How long ago did this crime scene pop up?"

_-Ohh, I'd say it's good for about a week if you refrigerate it. Me, I don't really like leftover meat.-_

I sigh with relief, understanding his meaning. "Oh thank god."

"What?" Rowan turns.

"Is there anything else you can tell us about this place?" I ask. "Who reported it?"

_-I heard about it from a buddy of mine; takes pictures for food ads. Nice guy, has a sister about your age.-_

"Where is he? We need to talk to him." I say urgently.

-_Coffee? Yeah, there's a Starbucks on every corner; my favorite's in Harlem - 130th right across from the Methodist church; can't miss it. Anyway, now I'm hungry; maybe I'll see you kids around. And, Miss ukitake?-_

"Yes?" I smile.

_-It's gonna be okay.-_

"Thank you...Ryo." I say, and hang up the phone.

"What'd he say?" Rowan snaps.

"You woulda loved it; he was talking in code. This is all goat's blood, and it turned up a week ago, which is the last time I talked to Sage on the phone. I know he had a meeting with the university's ancient artifacts curator that evening, so that's probably about when he disappeared, and it fits the timeline for this stuff too. He also told me there was no body found, which means Sage is still alive, especially if Mia saw the armor of Halo on the news; Sage _has_ to be alive if someone is using him to control it. Oh! And I got the name of the guy who reported this crime scene." I quickly write it down so I don't forget. "Sanderson. He's on 130th, in Harlem, across from the Methodist Church."

"Shit." Rowan rubs the back of his neck. "That cop's turnin' out to be kinda cool."

"Come on, we gotta get to Harlem!" I pull Rowan out to the main street, where we hail another cab, and head uptown.

In the car, Rowan's phone rings. "Yeah?" he turns to me. "It's Cye. Woah! Cye, dude, slow down, what plane?"

"You kids hear about the plane crash?" the driver asks.

"No," I gasp. "What plane crash?" I lean toward the plastic barrier.

"Yeah, some international flight went down in the hudson; everyone's okay, y'know? Whew, that pilot's a hero." The driver whistles.

I look at Rowan.

Rowan's talking. "Yeah, we're headed to Harlem." Rowan says. "You're going where? Slow down, geezus, I don't got a pen."

I wiggle the note, and click a pen.

Rowan sputters. "Dude! I am NOT saying that to her!"

I squint.

"I don't care if it's the name of a fuckin' restaurant; YOU say it to her." Rowan shoves his phone at me.

I take it. "Geez, god, ow! Okay! Hello?"

_-You've got alot of nerve just buggering off like that!- Cye shouts. -I was worried sick; and to New York?! Have you gone completely mad?! You could've been kidnapped same as Sage!-_

"Excuuuse me!" I huff.

_-What? Oh, hello lovey, no I was yelling at Ryo.- Cye says._

I sigh. "we have lead on Sage."

-_What? Where?- Cye gasps._

"Not now." I hiss, glancing at the driver. "What's this restaurant Rowan won't say?"

_-Well, now that you mention it, I don't really want to say it again. Here.- I hear Cye saying distantly. -It's Emiko, tell her where to meet us.-_

_Kento's voice is also distant. -My Uncle's place?-_

_-Yeeees, yesyes, tell her,- Cye insists._

_-Oh.- Kento's voice is by the phone. -Heey, pretty girl.-_

"Hey, it's really good to hear your voice." I smile.

"Yadda yadda yadda…" Rowan mutters, flapping a hand at me.

_-Okay, ready? You guys are coming to Chin's Hung Dragon.-_

I startle, and blink and shake my head, and try not to bust up laughing. "What?" I snort.

Rowan nods.

_-Yeah. It's my uncle's place.- Kento says proudly._

"I am _so_ excited! Chin's Hung Dragon!" I say out loud.

"Aw, sweet! I love that place!" The driver exclaims. "It's not far from where I'm taking you kids. Want me to wait?"

"Sure." Rowan says, in English, accented, but clearly enough.

"Sounds good, Kento, we'll see you there." I say.

_-Awesome.- Kento says then hands the phone back to Cye._

_-There.- Cye says. -Alright then?-_

"Oh that wasn't so bad; you guys are all prudes." I tease. "See you soon."

I give Rowan his phone, but Cye's hung up, and Rowan stuffs it into his pocket.

We get to the apartment building.

"How the fuck are we supposed to know which one's his?" Rowan asks.

"Because he's the only 'Sanderson' on the call buttons." I snark and push the button.

We wait...nothing.

I press it again. "Aw, fuck, don't tell me he's not home."

A woman's coming out. Rowan holds the door for her, and she goes right past us.

Rowan nods in, and in we go. "You get the apartment number?"

"Fourteen Fourteen H." I say.

We go up to the fourteenth floor. I immediately see the open door toward the end of the right hall.

"Rowan." I say morosely.

Rowan turns and see the door.

"Fourteen-Fourteen H?" I ask.

Rowan walks ahead, and we head cautiously down the hallway to the open apartment door. He taps the door number; 1414H.

I sigh worriedly.

"Hello? Mr. Sanderson?" Rowan pushes the door gently. It's a small apartment, the door opening into the living room directly. "My name is Rowan Hashiba; We got your name from Detective Maclean of the 27th Precinct."

There's a man sitting in a chair with its back to the door. We both approach the chair.

"Aw, shit." Rowan lets out a breath and rubs his face.

I shake my head, feeling despair at losing the trail to Sage. To the right is a red light coming out of an open door, and I step over to it. It's a dark room, and there are photos hanging from the line; pictures of Halo Armor, close and far, in the act of murdering people. All this man could do was take pictures; there's no way he could've saved those peoples' lives.

"Sage." I whisper.

"Em?" Rowan says.

"What is it?" I turn.

"This guy was stabbed with a Kunai." Rowan says, examining the body.

"You're shitting me." I look around. No weapons racks. "He wasn't a collector; Murder weapon?"

"Seems like it." Rowan takes a handkerchief from the guy's pocket, and pulls the Kunai out.

"WHAT'RE YOU DOING?!" I shout. "IDIOT!"

"What?" Rowan shrugs. "We could use this to find whoever took Sage."

"You don't PULL the murder weapon OUT!" I wave an arm at him. "Don't you watch Law and Order?!"

The front door creaks.

I gasp and turn.

There's a girl, my age, standing there, horror evident on her face.

"Oh for fuck sakes." I sigh.

"AAAAAA!" She screams. "MURDERERRR!" and she runs away.

"WAIT!" I call out. "BRING IT WITH YOU!" I growl at Rowan.

We run down the hall, assuming the girl ran out of the building and out into the street, we come out on said street, and she's nowhere.

"Ohhhhh, GREAAAT!" I roar, throwing my hands in the air. "Great job, Einstein! Fuckin' A!" I stomp over toward the taxi.

"What the hell are you mad at _me_ for?" Rowan snaps.

"What-" I scoff, and run over to him, slap him on the arm with both my hands, saying through clenched teeth. "Stupid stupid _stupid_ stupid Kunai!"

Rowan recoils, the wrapped Kunai still in his hand. "Ow, fuck, stop, okay! Okay! Enough!"

I turn, shouting. "Come on!"

Rowan walks up to the taxi, and stands by it, shaking his head at me.

I give him mean eyes, and say over the taxi. "Get. In. The taxi."

"Alright then." The driver says. "Chin's Hung Dragon!" He claps his hands excitedly.

We don't speak in the car, I press myself against the door, and see none other than the girl, climbing down a firescape as we're pulling around the corner. She looks right at the taxi as it passes by her, and she runs down an alleyway.

"I'm sorry." Rowan mumbles.

"Not yet you're not." I frown at the window then I gasp. "Columbia University!" I get out my phone, and call Mia.

_-Hello?- Mia answers after two rings._

"Mia, hi, it's Emiko." I start to explain.

_-Oh! Well there you are; where in the world have you been? Did you go to the university like I asked you to? No! Because I had to do it myself, thank you very much, and do you know what I found? Nothing. A big, fat, nothing.-_

"Miaaa," I sing at her.

_-And I went to the news desk, and do you know what I found out there? More nothing! More fat nothing, and a freelance photographer, who-"_

"Who took pictures of the crime scene where Halo was seen at. Yes, we know; we found him." I lower my voice. "Sort of."

_-And?!- Mia gasps._

"Nothing." I say. "I'll tell you all about it, and sorry for galavanting, we were following a lead."

_-Oh. That's too bad.- Mia sulks. -Sorry for snapping, but you didn't call me, I was worried!-_

"Sorry." I say again. "Really, Mia."

_-Oh, and did you know Cye, Kento, and Ryo were in a plane accident?- Mia grouses._

"Yes." I sigh.

_-Well I didn't! Not until Ryo calls me and says; our plane went down in the Hudson River, but we're fine and we're waiting for our bags to be fished out of the water. And then he tells me they're going somewhere called The Hung Dragon. What is that? I don't want to take Yuli there if it's obscene, but I'm hungry, and tired, and I really just want to soak in a bath and order room service.-_

"I know. Me too. It's a restaurant called Chin's Hung Dragon; it's just a restaurant. We'll meet you there." I say calmly and slowly.

_-How do I know where that is?- Mia asks._

I lean and ask the taxi driver. "How many restaurants in New York are called 'Chin's Hung Dragon'?"

He holds up one finger and proclaims proudly. "Only one, kiddo."

"Mia, listen to me; get a taxi and tell them to take you to Chin's Hung Dragon; there's only one and it seems to be fairly well known." I explain slowly.

_Mia sighs. -Okay.- she takes a breath. -I'll do that, and we'll meet you there. You'll be there, right?-_

"Yes, we're in a taxi now; me and Rowan." I say.

Rowan's fighting sleep.

"And we need to talk about hotel arrangements." I say.

_-I did that too; I did everything today, thank you very much.- Mia snaps. -Sorry. I'm gonna get a cab. See you soon.- she hangs up._

We get to the restaurant, and Mia's cab just pulled up too and she and Yuli are getting out of it, and the driver has their luggage.

"Heey, Mannyyy!" our driver calls out.

"Hermano!" The other driver grins. "How crazy is this, man!" He gestures to the restaurant.

"I know! Feels like dinner time!" Our driver beams.

"You got iiiit!" The other high fives him.

I walk over, pulling the suitcase, and hug Mia with one arm. "I'm sorry!"

"No, I'm sorry, I'm just glad you guys are okay!" Mia sniffles. "I'm so stressed out, and I'm hungry, and their plane crashed!" She growls. "I can't deal with this right now! AND I'm jet-lagged."

Rowan nods wordlessly in agreement.

"Me too." I slump.

We head in, luggage in hand, and get seated.

"Mimi, who's suitcase is that? Did you steal it?" Yuli asks so innocently.

"No." I say. "It's Sage's, I went and got it from his hotel."

"You first. Start there." Mia waves a hand, looking at the menu.

"Someone trashed Sage's hotel room lookin' for the yoroitama." Rowan says.

"And found it." I add.

"What?" Mia and Yuli gasp.

I nod.

"And Sage got Em a diamond ring." Rowan wiggles his eyebrows.

"Ooh," Mia's eyes light up. "Diamond ring?"

"So not the point." I say.

"Uh huh." Rowan scoffs. "Right."

"Whatever." I turn back to Mia. "So we went to the police station to file a missing persons report." I suddenly gasp. "I should call him and tell him what we found."

Rowan slumps.

I take out my cell and go to the ladies room.

_-Homicide. Maclean.-_

"Detective? We went to find that photographer friend of yours." I say.

_-I'm here now, Miss Ukitake, I'm gonna need to talk to you kids.- He sounds troubled._

"No kidding." I say. "I swear we didn't kill him."

_-I didn't say you did.- Detective Maclean sighs._

"I didn't!" I try to keep my voice down.

_-Shh shh, I know. But I still need to talk to you kids, something's been removed from the crime scene.-_

"Oh, that was _genius_-tits; it's a Kunai blade." I say.

_-What?- He gasps._

"Yeah! I know; the idiot actually - well, I'm in a restaurant bathroom right now, i'll tell you that bit in person." I roll my eyes.

_-Fine. Where are you?-_

I sigh and then say none-too-enthusiastically. "Chin's Hung Dragon."

_-Ah. Good Dim Sum.-_

I shake my head. "So I'm told."

_-I'll head straight there. Please- he says firmly. -Do not go anywhere, and tell your brother i'm gonna need that knife.-_

"Oh, I will." I glare at the stall door and pretend it's Rowan's face. "I will."

Heading back out to the dining room, I see someone shift in the shadows of a pillar.

"It's you." I gasp.

"Get away from me!" She ducks around the other side of the pillar.

"No wait, please!" I try to head her off but she runs away. "Dammit, wait!" I chase her all the way to a side exit and she's just gone. I head back inside and go back to the dining room.

"I even talked to the president of the university," Mia is saying. "And he said that there were no departments doing research on antique swords."

Rowan looks up. "Didja call 'im?"

"Yes. He's coming here and he wants the Kunai." I say, less angrily than I should.

"What Kunai?" Mia gasps.

I look at Rowan. "Do _you_ wanna tell her about this year's bonehead move? Or should I?"

Rowan tightens his lips.

I sigh and look at Mia. "You'll hear all about it when the police get here."

"The police?!" Yuli exclaims.

"What. Did. You. Do?" Mia glares at Rowan.

Rowan sips the soda in front of him, frowning.

I shake my head at Rowan then turn back to Mia. "So besides nothing," I say pointedly, "What did the university tell you?"

Mia opens her dried lips to reply but Yuli interrupts. "It was weird, Mimi!" He whines. "All the people we talked to never even heard of Sage."

Something definitely smells like demons. "What about exchange students, or some other program?"

Mia shakes her head. "Their files show they haven't had a Japanese student or consultant for 15 years."

I slump. That's that then."

"What is it?" Mia asks.

"We think," Rowan looks at me. "We're sure someone has kidnapped Sage. Especially after what you just told us about the university."

"You went to the police." Mia says. "So what happened next?"

"We found a dead body, and photographs of," I have to stop.

"Of Halo," Rowan says, looking at Yuli.

"What is it? Did something bad happen to Sage? Hey Mimi, why are you sad? Where's Sage, Mia?" Yuli tugs Mia's arm.

"I'm willing to put my money on whoever took Sage is responsible for the photographer's murder." Rowan says.

"MURDER?!" Yuli shrieks. "Somebody's dead?!"

"Yes, little one." Says Detective MacLean.

"Detective." I gasp and stand up.

"Where's the Kunai?" Detective MacLean asks.

Rowan takes the handkerchief out of his pocket.

"Rowan, what is that?" Mia panics.

Detective MacLean holds out a bag marked, "evidence". Rowan drops the Kunai into it, handkerchief and all.

"Excuse me, what's going on?" Mia stands up.

"Your kids walked through my crime scene, ma'am." Detective MacLean has more bags. "Both of you, shoes off, and into the bags."

I sit down, saying. "Rowan, do it." Before he can protest.

Rowan sighs and does it.

"Mia?" Are they getting arrested?" Yuli panics.

"No, son, but I need to talk to them." Detective MacLean says. "They'll be back before breakfast." He winks.

Yuli smiles nervously.

Detective MacLean gives us each a pair of plastic flip flops, and we follow him to the restaurant entrance.

"Emiko! Rowan!" Cye slides between tables toward us.

"Sir," Detective MacLean holds up a hand to stop him getting closer.

"It's okay, Cye, we'll talk later. Don't worry." I wave as we keep walking.

"What's happening?" Ryo asks. "Is He a cop?"

"Nah, it's fuckin' Santa clause, and he's takin' us to his fuckin' workshop." Rowan snarks.

"Come on, kids." Detective MacLean takes us out to a crown royal and we get in the back seat.


	5. Stranger Than Fiction

**_A/N: I DO NOT OWN RONIN WARRIORS, IF I DID I WOULDN'T BE WRITING FANFICTION._**

As soon as we get to the station, Detective Laytner is waiting with tubes and swabs.

"You kids gotta get swabbed." Detective MacLean says.

"_You_ get swabbed." Rowan growls.

"Rowan." I hiss.

"Rowan looks at Detective Laytner then glares and opens his mouth. Detective MacLean swabs my mouth. The swabs are put into tubes, and detective Laytner takes them away somewhere.

"We've got a rush on those." Detective MacLean says.

"Because we're tourists, and a flight risk?" Rowan grumps.

"No," Detective MacLean says gently. "Because the time of death for the photographer was while you kids were in my precinct filing a missing report, but you did walk through the crime scene, so we have to eliminate your dna."

I give Rowan a look.

Rowan mutters under his breath.

"Please come with me." Detective MacLean gestures for us to follow him. "Can I bring you anything? Have you eaten?"

"Yes and no," I say. "Water would be great."

"Of course. And I'll see about something to eat for you kids. For now, if you kids could wait in here." Detective MacLean gestures into a room.

I make it one step inside the door and gasp. It's a 10x10 concrete room with bars on the windows.

"No." I involuntarily whisper. "No, no, no, no."

"What is it?" Detective MacLean asks.

"Em, look at me." Rowan comes up to me, but my mind is already gone back to the room in my step-mother's basement.

"What's happening." Detective MacLean asks.

"Em, just step back," Rowan's trying to push me out into the hallway, But my mind is staying in the room. "Em, come back, em!"

I back up until my back bumps the opposite wall.

"The room." Detective MacLean says. "It's you, isn't it? You're the girl who was all over the news, the one locked in that basement."

"Yeah." Rowan growls. "What ya want, a fuckin' autograph?"

"No, of course not." Detective MacLean glares at Rowan. "Miss ukitake, you have my deepest sympathies; I followed your story from day one of the trial, all the way up to that woman's execution."

"Execution?" I startle.

"Serious?" Rowan turns to the detective.

Detective MacLean nods. "Yes. Three months ago."

"Woah, shit." Rowan whispers.

I'm not...happy, persay, But I'm certainly not gonna lose any sleep over it. I look at the interrogation room. "Can you...leave the door open? Even just a crack will do."

Detective MacLean nods. "Of course."

Rowan goes in first. "Nope, no bleach." He's kind of joking, but not.

I walk in.

The door creaks, and for a second, I panic.

"There," Detective MacLean says on the other side of the door, and reaches to the wall, illuminating lights on the outside of the two-way window mirror, so we can see the hallway. "Does this help any?"

I let out a breath I was holding. "Mm-yes. Thank you."

"Certainly. I'll be right back, kids." Detective MacLean walks past the window, and down the hall somewhere.

"Kinda spooky." Rowan says, sitting at the table.

"No kidding." I stay standing, eyes on the door.

"You okay over there?" Rowan asks.

"Mostly." I murmur.

Detective MacLean is coming back, holding bottles of water, and packaged sandwiches.

Detective laytner's voice scoffs. "Ryo, you are _not_ feeding those kids."

"Yes, they _are_ kids, and they're gonna be here for a while, so yes, I'm feeding them." Detective MacLean replies, backing into the door to open it.

"They're murderers." Detective laytner says.

"The timeline doesn't fit, and hush." Detective MacLean hisses at him. "Here you go, kids."

Rowan stands up. "Are we suspects or what? Cause I want a fuckin' lawyer who speaks Japanese!"

"No, calm down." Detective MacLean tries to ease Rowan down.

"Don't handle them, Ryo. You!" Detective laytner gets in my face. "What the hell were you doing in _that_ apartment, _half an hour_ before we find a fucking dead body, huh?"

"Dee!" Detective laytner is pulled back. "Give me that." Detective MacLean takes the folder Detective laytner has tucked under his arm. "Get out."

Detective laytner smirks. "They're clean; I'm just razzin' them."

"Get. Out." Detective MacLean pushes Detective laytner out of the room.

"Suit yourself." Detective laytner starts to pull the door shut.

"No!" We all exclaim.

"Dee, leave it open!" Detective laytner hisses.

"That's not protocol." Detective laytner scoffs. "Quit babying these two."

"This girl is _the real Cinderella._ She's claustrophobic." Detective MacLean says. "Please."

Detective laytner's face freezes and he looks at me with a different squint. "Bullshit."

I'm watching the space between the doorjam and the door.

"I didn't have to ask her, she had a panic attack when I tried to shut them in, and her brother told me, without it even coming up before." Detective MacLean props the door open. "So it stays open."

Detective Laytner turns and leaves.

"You have to excuse Dee," Detective MacLean sets down the bottles of water. "He was just as invested in the case as I was; he'll tell everyone to leave the door alone, you watch."

"Are...are you gonna get in trouble...if it stays open?" I ask, looking at the door and the mirror.

"No, no, I told my captain who you kids are, and he'd like to speak to you when we're finished here, if that's alright." Detective McLean asks.

"Was..._am_ I that big of a deal?" I ask.

"Yes," Detective MacLean says. "Especially in homicide; I've seen crime scenes much like what you described in your testimony, but the poor souls inside…" he hesitates. "...they're forgotten."

"He means dead." Rowan growls.

"I got that." I say softly. "Not for lack of trying." I look at the Detective.

"Of course. But, let's talk about that apartment, and some of the things you said to me earlier." Detective MacLean clicks a pen.

"Like what?" I ask. "Did you see the photographs?"

"Yes." Randy opens the folder he took from Detective Laytner. "These." He sets out a few. All of them are the Halo Armor. Pointing to one, and tapping it lightly, he asks. "What, exactly, am I looking at here?"

I look at Rowan. Rowan looks at me.

"It's kind of a long story." I say.

"That's what the tape recorder is for." Detective MacLean indicates the little silver device.

Letting out a breath, I start talking. "Well, about a year ago, a headline came out of Japan that might've looked something like a black spot over Honshu."

"Yes, I remember that circling the internet; most people thought it was some kind of internet hoax." Detective MacLean comments. "And other say it was a satellite malfunction."

"One spot?" Rowan scoffs. "You really buy that bag o' bullshit?"

"I suppose," Detective MacLean leans on one elbow. "But tell me your story anyway, perhaps i'm just misinformed."

Rowan and I take turns telling Detective MaLean about the armor, the dynasty, and the demons. The detective only asks the occasional question, and takes a few notes over the next couple of hours. When we're done, he sits quietly for a minute or so in contemplation. Then, very softly asks.

"So...these photographs are," he checks his notes. "The Halo?"

Rowan and I both nod.

"And whoever tossed your boyfriend's hotel room _knew_ to look for it." Detective MacLean is still looking at his notes. "_Yoroitama_."

Rowan glares. "He thinks we're puttin' him on."

"No," the Detective says. "The kunai has no fingerprints on it whatsoever, not even yours." He goes on. "But it's been confirmed to be the murder weapon, so someone must have had ahold of it. Not to mention the crime scene, the warehouse, the photos, and your story all corroborate each other." He lets out a breath. "I believe you. But, that just leaves one question; well, two." He holds out his thumb. "Who killed the photographer?" He extends his index finger. "And where is your boyfriend?"

"Find one, find the other." Rowan says.

"He was in that warehouse, I'm sure of it." I insist. "And so were the people who took him."

Detective MacLean nods. "I agree." He puts everything back in the folder. "But for now, I'm going to just give you kids a ride back to the restaurant."

I look at Rowan. "Mia said she made hotel arrangements somewhere; and i'm kind of tired."

"Oh, you're not staying at The Dragon's Nest?" Detective MacLean startles.

"The...what?" Rowan and I both ask.

"The Inn attached to Chin's Hung Dragon." Detective MacLean says then startles. "I mean...exactly how that sounded, I suppose."

I nod, frowning.

Rowan snickers.

"I'll call the restaurant and see if your friends left a forwarding hotel." Detective MacLean offers.

Rowan and I wait quietly while the detective makes the call.

"Yes, may I speak to the proprietor please?" He pauses. "Thank you." He nods at us. "Yes, hello, is this the proprietor of Chin's Hung Dragon? Thank you, I'm Detective Randy MacLean of the 27th precinct...no, no, but I did take two of your guests earlier, a miss Emiko Ukitake, and mister Rowan Hashiba."

"Mister Hashiba is my _father_." Rowan grumbles into his elbow.

"Oh really?" the detective beams. "Perfect. No, i'm bringing them back right now. Thank you, mr. chin." he ends the call. "So much noise in the back…" he shakes his head. "Turns out your friends _are_ staying at the inn; mr. chin is a family friend?"

I shrug.

"He's Kento's uncle." Rowan mutters to me. Then he holds up his fingers in quotes. "Uncle." He wiggles them.

I nod.

Detective Laytner looks up as we all walk out. "Finally. Man, we're not taking these kids home with us, are we?"

"No. We're taking them to The Dragon's Nest Inn at Chinatown." Detective MacLean replies.

"Fiiine, but if we're going to Chinatown, I want Mu Gu Gai Pan." Detective Laytner grouses.

"_And_ take dinner home to Bikky and Carol." Detective MacLean say. "Remember? Our _Children_."

"_Your_ children." Detective Laytner grumbles.

"Do you two live together?" I ask, just making conversation and not really thinking about how rude that might be.

Rowan snorts. "Serious?" he smirks. "Pretty sure they're married; didja hear them taklin' to each other in there?"

I shrug. "Was it significant?"

"Hey, Ryo, they're talkin' about us, I can tell." Detective Laytner squints at us.

Rowan swipes me behind him, glaring at Detective Laytner, and says in Osakaben. "What the hell're ya gonna do about it, huh?"

I walk around to Rowan's other side, and Detective MacLean waves me to follow him, saying in Japanese, "let's leave the children to fight."

"Hey! Ryo!" Detective Laytner calls back. "Tell me what this delinquent's sayin'!"

"Rowan _will_ hit him." I worry.

"And Dee will just hit him back." Detective Laytner winks.

I smile. "You're awfully nice for a cop; cops in Japan are rude to women and foreigners."

"We have our racists here too, don't you worry." Detective MacLean teases, opening a car door for me. "Don't worry, it's not a squad car."

I nod and get in the back. "Thanks, Detective." I reach out and stop the door shutting. "I mean that." I smile. "Thank you."

Detective MacLean nods. "You're Welcome, Miss Ukitake."


	6. Mission Accomplished

_**A/N: I DO NOT OWN RONIN WARRIORS; IF I DID, I WOULDN'T BE WRITING FANFICTION!**_

* * *

Back at Chin's Hung Dragon once more, the restaurant is still lively with customers, and I hear Kento's boisterous laughter before spying our friends at a table in the back.

Rowan runs toward food, but I walk.

"Mimi! Rowan!" Yuli exclaims.

Rowan gets to the table, and digs in.

I've stopped moving, standing a few paces away from the table, staring at nothing; thinking about everything that was discussed, and the images of crime scene photos going over and over in my head.

"You little wanker! I worried sick; did you both just get arrested?! Don't talk with your mouth full! Well? Tell me what the bloody hell is going on!" Cye is shouting at Rowan, but means well.

"Are you alright, miss ukitake?" Detective MacLean says behind me.

I turn, humming. "Hmm?"

Detective MacLean is watching me worriedly.

I nod.

"And you!" Cye marches up, standing by me with his hands balled on his hips. "Well, let's have it."

I stare at Cye, my throat tightening, and I can't stop the warm teardrops from dripping out of my eyes.

Cye's face relaxes. "I was only messing about; what happened?" He gasps.

"Your friends are both witnesses to a murder downtown today." Detective MacLean replies.

"What?!" Cye gasps. "What murder? Lovey, are you okay?" Cye puts his hands on my shoulders.

I shake my head at Cye, and say with a little choke to my voice. "No. I'm not okay." I walk away from Cye.

"Lovey, what's happened?" Cye calls after me.

"I'm afraid it's been a long day for your friend; she and her brother have information about some strange crimes that have been happening over the past couple days; all of it leading back to a murder this afternoon."

Ryo walks up. "What do you mean, strange crimes?"

"I'm afraid that's all i can say; it's still an open homicide investigation." Detective MacLean looks at me looking at him. "But Emiko and Rowan can tell you more, if they should choose to."

I nod slightly.

"I'll be off then; try to stay in the states if you can, and," Detective MacLean's gaze turns to Rowan briefly. "Keep your brother outta trouble." He gives me a little wave and heads off.

I glance at Ryo then gasp. "Detective?"

"What?" He turns around quicky, a startled look on his face.

I walk up next to Ryo, and nod sideways at him. "This is Ryo."

The detective. "Hey Ryo, I'm Ryo." He winks.

Ryo starts.

"Goodnight, miss ukitake. Please take care of yourself." He nods and then leaves this time.

"What was that all about?" Ryo asks.

"His name is Ryo, too." I shrug. "I was telling him I have a friend named Ryo."

"Oh." Ryo nods, and looks like he wants to say something more but doesn't.

"That guy's name is _Randy_." Rowan says over his shoulder.

I sigh. "Randy is the _Americanized_ name he uses; his name is Ryo." I fold my arms.

Cye squints and goes over to Ryo, rubbing his chin.

"What?" Ryo startles.

"Nnno." Cye shakes his head slowly.

Ryo leans away, eyes darting nervously.

"_He_ certainly doesn't look like a 'Randy'." Cye glances at me, smirking.

Ryo frowns, and folds his arms.

I snort.

After some food, and regailing everyone with the story of our exports around Harlem, I'm starting to feel a little more at ease.

"Our fact-finding mission wasn't nearly as exciting." Mia says sheepishly.

"Our plane crashed in the Hudson." Kento says boredly.

"Omigosh, that's right!" I gasp.

"I'm thinking even _that_ was part of whatever's going on." Ryo says, leaning his chin on his hands. "

"Nothing 'whatever' about it." Rowan scoffs. "Someone who _knows_ about the armor took Sage, and killed the photographer."

"There's a crash in the kitchen, but that happens in restaurants sometimes. Then the waitresses are screaming and running out like something's on fire.

"What the?!" Kento turns.

"What now?" I slump, watching the commotion.

A girl comes running out. _The_ girl to be precise; the girl from the apartment building, the girl I saw in the hallway here at the restaurant, and she's brandishing a knife. She jumps up, landing on the table, dishes crashing, and leaps at Rowan, shouting. "For my BROTHER!"

Rowan has faster reflexes than the girl does, and she tumbles onto the floor but gets right back up, and swings the knife again.

"Stop it, he didn't do anything!" Mia shouts.

"Stop it!" Yuli screams.

I decide right that second that i've had enough drama, and certainly enough death.

"STOP IT!" I stand up, one of my light swords slinging out of my arm, and I knock the knife from her hand.

She falls back on her rump, staring at me with wide eyes.

"Em, wait!" Rowan grabs my shoulder.

I point the sword at her. "Leave."

"I _saw_ the dagger! He's a murderer!" She shouts.

"No, he's not! You didn't see what you think you saw!" I start to cry. "We just wanted to talk to him!"

"So you killed him?!" She accuses.

"Did not!" I shout.

"I'll never stop! I'll avenge my brother!" She shouts.

"And if you kill _my _brother, I'll cut your goddamn head off!" I scream at her.

She grabs her knife, gets up, and runs out.

My sword disappears; I don't care who saw.

"Hey." Rowan puts an arm around my shoulders, and pulls me against him. "Calm down, it's over."

"No it's not!" Kento starts to run after her, but Ryo stops him. "Dude! Come on!"

"If we chasse her down, in the state that she's in, it'll just make things worse." Ryo explains.

"She'll be back, Kento, just chill." Rowan says calmly, keeping a firm hold on me.

Kento shoves Ryo's arm away but doesn't go after the girl.

I turn and look at the table, food everywhere, a couple of the waitresses are picking up pieces of ceramic, and scooping up food from other tables that were disturbed.

I push on Rowan's arm. "I'm fine."

"Em." Rowan protests.

"I'm fine!" I exclaim, obviously not fine, but Rowan lets me go.

I look down at my hands, and glance at the patrons in the restaurant, most of them staring at me. I turn and walk toward the back door I saw, feeling exposed out here.

Out the back door is an alley, and I walk down it toward the main street lights. On the street, someone's performing a lion dance to drums and chimes.

"AA!" someone shrieks. "Get away! Whattyou want?!"

I hurry toward the voice, wanting to help someone today after all the tragedy.

Buddo's standing on the street corner, leaning over the girl with the knife, snuffling her hair.

"Buddo!" I gasp. "Leave her!"

The huge horse looks up at me.

"No wait, stop her!" I wave my arm.

Buddo looks at the girl then at me, and steps a huge hoof on the girl's long hair, holding her in place.

"Ow! Hey! Get off me!" she yanks her long braid to no avail.

I stop where Buddo has her pinned. "He's not getting off, and you're gonna listen to me!" I shout.

She pauses, staring at me.

I point at her. "You are gonna _listen_!" I don't give her a chance to reply. "I haven't slept in _nineteen hours_, because nineteen hours ago, I was at a birthday party in Japan when I realized my boyfriend was missing, only to come to New York and realize further that was kidnapped, and by the same people who killed _your brother_, who was the only person who had any information about where my boyfriend is, so No! We didn't kill him!" I cry. "I wanted to talk to him, because he had information!"

She's staring at me like I'm still flailing a sword at her.

"I shouldn't have said those things before." I sniff. "I don't wanna cut your head off."

Her expression relaxes somewhat.

"Let her go, Bud." I say, putting a hand on the horse's huge shoulder.

Buddo lifts his huge hoof, and the girl scrambles to her feet. Anzen hops around on the pavement as the girl walks pasta them. The girl glances at me then runs away.

Sighing, I prop my hands on my hips. "I'm jet lagged, tired, hungry, and at the end of my rope." I look at each of them. "I don't care how you got here, or why."

Buddo and Anzen nod, like, 'yes ma'am'. Buddo glances where the girl ran off to then looks at me, tilting his head in question.

I glance in the same direction and groan. "It's a very, very, very long story."

Buddo steps closer and nuzzles me.

I go back to the alleyway, and Buddo clops along following behind me. I sit on the back steps, and one of the cooks brings me a plate of steamed sweet potato buns.

"Check it out, Bud, he brought you your favorite." I wiggle the plate enticingly at the horses.

Buddo sits and wags his tail, humming gratefully, slurping up one bun.

Anzen picks at another bun, swiping it out of the way when Buddo tries to steal it.

"Come on, you guys, there's plenty." I swish a hand between them.

Someone walks up behind me, in a tan jacket and red plaid pants. He ruffles Buddo's mane and smiles. "I thought you might show up."

"Hi Cye." I pull my knees up and leans my arms on them. "I saw her; she ran away though."

"Of course she did." Cye sighs. "It's alright; I don't think she's really going to kill Rowan."

I shake my head, hiding my face.

Anzen pecks Cye's shoe.

"Hey, not the loafers." He crouches down, and scratches Anzen's head.

"Where's Rowan?" I ask.

"Upstairs with Kento, eating and drinking, and listening to Kento bitch and moan about the girl with the knife." Cye lets out a long breath. "Who is she anyhow?"

"The sister of the photographer who was murdered today." I explain.

"Ah." Cye nods. "Poor little love."

"Yeah." I sigh.

"Mister Chin just made fresh crab rangoon." Cye says, walking past me. He pauses, puts a hand on my shoulder then moves on. "It'll be alright, lovey; cheer up."

I wait until Cye's footsteps recede then put my face on my arms, and blubber pathetically.

Anzen hops up onto my head and hugs her wings around me, staying there even as I get myself together and go into the restaurant.

"Hey, _nice hat_." Ryo jokes.

Anzen hisses as I walk past Ryo.

"Cool it." I pluck the huge bird off my head.

Anzen chirps apologetically.

"How are you?" Ryo asks.

"I've had enough." I put Anzen on the table, and fold my arms.

Anzen scuttles over to a bowl of crab rangoon, and eyes it, glances around then picks one out and flies over to a chinese lion statue to eat it, starting a waitress in the process.

"OH!" She gasps.

"She's okay, she's with me!" I wave to the waitress.

"What about _that_?" She jumps into the nearest table, jostling it slightly.

Buddo toddles over, and sits by our table, tail wagging excitedly.

"He's just hungry." I pet Buddo's neck.

Sitting down at the table, I lean my forehead on my stacked arms, and try to breathe slowly but surely and calm my nerves.

Someone pulls my chair back, with me in it, whistling jovially.

As my arms slide off the table, I cover my face with my hands, and refuse to look at them.

They draw what feels like slash marks on the backs of my hands with smells like a permanent pen. Still just whistling, and then moves away.

"AH-HA HA!" Rowan guffaws. "Nice!"

The chair and I are pushed back up to the table, and the person sits next to me.

I hear a camera snap.

"Hey, check out your new makeover, Em." Rowan snickers.

I lower my hands, and look at the backs where red diagonal marks are scribbled across both my hands. Then I look up as Rowan shows me his phone screen. With my hands over my eyes, it looks like I'm blushing really red through my hands.

I snicker and laugh.

"Yes!" Kento high-fives Cye. "She laughed; mission accomplished!" He suddenly freezes though, and glares at Ryo then takes a whole chicken on a plate, and goes over to a staircase, and goes up.

"Oh yes, by the way, as you went off for the second time in twenty-four hours, Ryo and Kento disagreed for the umpteenth time in as many years." Cye grins, and holds up a plate. "Crab rangoon?"

As I munch into one of the fried wontons, and Anzen comes back for a bowl of soup that Buddo is slurping just the noodles out of, Rowan's voice gets loud.

"Fuck _that!_ You didn't see what we saw today!" Rowan growls in exasperation. "I'm too fuckin' tired, and too fuckin' hungry." He takes his plate and goes upstairs.

Ryo leans his chin on one hand, and pushes the food on his plate around with his fork.

Cye sighs. "I'll stay with droopy-face, could you…?" He gestures with a nod toward the stairs.

"Sure." I take my food, but before leaving, say to Ryo. "I caught up to her."

Ryo looks up.

I nod slightly, and head upstairs.

Kento and Rowan are easy enough to find, what with all the shouting coming out of one room. I don't bother knocking, they wouldn't hear me anyway.

"-should _explain_!" Kento's shouting.

A pillow hits the door.

"AA!" I shriek. "Hey!" I stick my head in, and glare at them.

"Oh, shit." Rowan snorts. "It's Em."

I shake my head at them as I come in. "And you're not even drunk." I sit on the little couch with my food.

Kento lifts a finger. "No, that was _me_." He nods slowly. "Totally."

"It's fine." I say. "What are you guys talking about?"

"That girl." Kento chews, and licks his fingers.

"She'll be back." Rowan sips the empty glass of ice, expecting liquid, and looks at it. "Damn." He gets off his bed and goes to the door. "Need more. You guys need anything?"

"Snag some soup dumplings, and peking duck." Kento says.

I exchange a glance with Rowan. "I'll go with you."

As we walk down the hallway, Rowan mutters. "I meant a soda, for fuck sakes."

I snort, and we both chuckle.


	7. Kento Breaks Manhattan, And Other Tales

_**A/N: I DO NOT OWN RONIN WARRIORS; IF I DID, I WOULDN'T BE WRITING FANFICTION!**_

* * *

We three stay up eating and taking most of the night, by dawn we're all sleeping and at least Kento's a little clearer on what went down.

When I wake up, Sage is standing at the foot of the bed, with his back to me.

I swallow a lump in my throat then ask. "Sage?"

Sage turns around quickly, but he has no face.

"Em!" Rowan shakes me slightly.

I'm in bed, but awake - really awake this time.

"You okay, pretty girl?" Kento's sitting on the edge of the other bed, facing me with a pinched, concerned expression.

Sitting up slowly, I nod. "Yeah," I look at Rowan, and nod again. "I'm good."

"Okay." Rowan nods and yawns. "C'mon, we're gonna go get some breakfast." he and Kento are dressed.

"Um," I look around, but don't see any sign of Sage; was that real, or am I losing my mind? Felt real…"I'll throw some clothes on and meet you downstairs."

"Sure." Rowan lightly hits Kento's arm. "C'mon."

Kento looks at me again then follows Rowan.

I throw on my clothes from the day before that I got from the airport, and get downstairs quickly. We're walking somewhere, and that's fine with me; i'm ready to get out of "Chin's Hung Dragon" for a while.

"So what was the dream you were havin'?" Kento asks as we walk.

"Sage." I say.

"Shit." Rowan mutters. "Like we don't have enough goin' on. Was he dead?"

I shake my head. "I don't think so. But he was missing his face; like someone had just taken an eraser, and rubbed it out."

"Huh." Kento grunts. "You're right, pretty girl, that's weird."

"Yup." I nod as we walk.

"Fuckin' A." Rowan mumbles.

"You said it." I'm determined not to get myself down too much today, all things considered; I'm feeling a little better, and I'm confident we'll get a lead on Sage that doesn't point to another dead body.

"Nah, not your dream." Rowan turns me to look back the way we came. "_That_." He points.

Buddo's head is ducked behind a fire hydrant, and Anzen's perched in plain sight, wings over her head.

"So...what's happening here?" Kento asks. "Do they think that we can't see them, or what?"

Rowan makes a sucking noise in his teeth, turns, and walks away.

"They're…" I frown a little. "Um…"

"Really obvious?" Kento fills in.

"Yeaah." I sigh. "Just keep walking." I turn, turning Kento, and we catch up with Rowan.

If Buddo's hoof-falls weren't obvious enough, the gasps from people encountering the beast as he 'sneaks around' are a dead giveaway.

"_Do_ somethin'." Rowan whines. "Before someone calls the fuckin' cops."

"Too late.." Kento points as an animal control vehicle and three police cars come up to the sidewalk.

The cops get out, keeping people back.

The animal control officer does a double-take at Buddo and then looks at his catching implement.

"Gonna need a bigger noose." Rowan snorts.

As if he heard Rowan, the officer trades the noose for a tranq gun.

"Woah, wait!" I run over, waving my arms.

"Nah, don't shoot!" Rowan follows.

"No, no, no!" I stand in front of Buddo, arms up.

"Stand down!" someone shouts, getting out of an unmarked crown royale.

I sigh, and shake my head. "Oh, for shit sakes…"

"Miss Ukitake." Detective MacLean saunters up nonchalantly. "And her foul-mouthed brother."

"You gotta be kiddin' me! Ain't there other cops in this city besides _you two?!" _Rowan exclaims. "Ain't you homicide detectives or something?"

"Yes, we are." Detective MacLean replies. "But when I heard an animal control dispatch for a, quote 'giant gray horse walking down Broadway', I had to come and prove to myself that it couldn't possibly have anything to do with you two." He looks at Rowan then me. "But here you are." He folds his arms. "Again." He looks at buddo then at me again, and raises an eyebrow.

I offer no explanation, and shrug.

"Is this _your_ horse?" Detective MacLean asks.

"Yes." I say, sniffing haughtily. "His name is Buddo."

Anzen makes a trumpeting sound, and Buddo poses.

"Hm." Detective MacLean sighs, and rubs his eyes, unamused.

Buddo ducks his head behind me, 'hiding'.

"And the bird? Is it with you, or is the horse just a convenient perch?" Detective MacLean asks.

"Both." I reply.

"I see." Detective MacLean lets out a long breath. "Well, Emiko, I'm sorry to say that I'm going to have to let the traffic officers here write you a ticket."

"What?!" I startle.

Rowan steps toward the detective.

"Nope!" Kento pulls Rowan back by the collar of his sweatshirt.

Detective MacLean doesn't react, but says to me, "Unless," he holds up one finger. "You can abide by New York State 'working horses' statute."

"I'm listening." I squint.

"Horses on the road must abide by, and are protected by, the rules of the road. They must ride single-file on the right side of the road, nearest the curb; in the right lane or otherwise designated path. You will use the nearest available crosswalk to change streets, turn left, or cross the road in any direction. Also noted that it's illegal for any car to honk at a horse, pass it, or approach it." the detective explains.

I look at Buddo. "You hear that? You're basically a car."

Buddo slowly lifts his head and perks his ears up.

I point to the street. "Gon on, you'll be fine."

Buddo steps one foot out onto the pavement, glancing cautiously around. Anzen, perched on his head, is watching just as cautiously.

"Stay close to the parked cars, and don't panic." I instruct him.

Buddo rolls his eyes my direction, like, 'I heard him the first time'.

"You two mind yourselves." Detective MacLean says to Rowan and I.

I nod, pressing my lips together.

"Can we go?" Rowan growls.

"Yes." Detective MacLean replies. "You can go."

We head off, and the excitement is over. Buddo follows along-ish, trotting and watching the traffic as he was told to.

People gawk, and giggle because now Buddo's whistling jovially, with a pep in his step.

We get to a corner, and stop at a fast food place.

"This looks good!" Kento goes in.

"Great," I grump. "American fast food."

"Aw, lighten up; he's stress eating." Rowan waves a hand. "But what about them? They can't come in."

Buddo and Anzen slump, like, 'aww, man'.

"I'll get you guys a couple of cheeseburgers." I shrug, and then notice Buddo is sitting in a legit parking spot, with a meter on the curb. "Hey Row? Do you have any quarters?"

"Yeah, why?" Rowan asks then seems to notice the parking meter. "Good idea." He fishes out a little coin pouch, and hands it to me. "Just get max time and give it back to me inside." He goes inside.

The little coins clink into the meter, and the digital indicator reads "MAX" then 1hr59min.

I shrug. "Okay, i'll be right back." I head inside, get a couple of cheeseburgers for my strange companions, and wait for them to finish eating before heading back inside.

Kento just keep eating, and eating, and eating, and griping about Ryo, and I keep glancing outside at the horse and bird.

Buddo and Anzen are okay, have a brief interlude with a parking meter reader, who just accepts that this horse is 'parked' in that space, the meter is fed, and moves on.

"Something wrong?" Kento asks.

"Huh?" I gasp, like I'm seeing Kento for the first time all day. "No." I'm only sort-of lying. "I mean yes, but i'm really ready to find Sage, go home, and get on with life, y'know?"

"I hear ya." Kento sighs. "You and me both, pretty girl."

"Miss, can I get you anything besides coffee?" The woman behind the bar-style seating asks me.

"Um," I glance at the hamburgers they're both eating. "Do you have anything that's not a sandwich, fried, or smothered in grease?"

She giggles. "Actually, yeah. We have greek yogurt, and you can have that with fruit or granola, or both. I like it with honey myself. Can I get you more coffee, too?"

"Yeah, and all of that sounds great. Fruit, yogurt, granola, honey; the works." I smile.

"Comin' right up." She winks and puts in the order.

"Gimme another two cheeseburgers, please." Kento says.

"You got it." The woman looks worried, but puts the order in as well.

"You kiddin' me?" Rowan scoffs. "Ain't _6 _enough?"

"Nope." Kento says, biting into the burger in his hands. Then chewing, he says. "Ryo pisses me off."

"No shit." Rowan scoffs. "You always pig out when you get pissed off."

I look at Kento.

"Yeah?" Kento chews.

Rowan reache around me, and pinches Kento's side. "Get pissed off alot, buddy?"

"Hey, lay off, man!" Kento slaps Rowan's hand away.

I lean forward on the stool, to avoid slapping limbs.

The nice waitress sets my load of yogurt down, pours more coffee, and sets the two cheeseburgers near-ish to Kento, eyeing the squabbling silently.

I nod without having to be asked, and she wanders off, away from the squabbling.

"I'm gonna eat now, and if you hit me, I fight dirty." I glare over my shoulder at Rowan mostly.

There's a couple more volleys then they settle down.

"But seriously guys, that girl got _away _last night; what gives? We should be _talking_ to her, not just letting her think Rowan's a murderer." Kento gestures at Rowan.

I pout. "Her brother, evidently, was the photographer who took the pictures of the Halo armor in Brooklyn."

"Fuckin' _dead _photographer." Rowan grumps.

"Yes, like anyone _forgot_; _dead _photographer." I frown. "She saw genius-tits over here pull a Kunai right out of the guy's chest."

"Dude!" Kento exclaims. "Rule number ONE, in the Law and Order handbook; _Don't_ touch a dead body."

I smack Rowan's arm. "_Dumbass_."

Rowan swipes back at me.

I scoff, and steal the ball cap off his head. Rowan lets me.

"All the more reason we shoulda made her stay; to _explain_." Kento reiterates.

"After the adventure _we_ had yesterday? I ran after her, what more do you want?" I lean my chin on one hand.

"Okay, sorry, I forgot you guys did all that." Kento yawns. "So sue me, I'm jet -lagged."

"Us too." Rowan grumbles, and keeps eating.

"And stressed-the-fuck-out." I gripe.

Kento eats. Rowan eats. I eat.

There's a rapid tap on the widow.

Turning, it's Anzen.

"Oh, Time to feed the meter." I turn on the stool, and I still have Rowan's coin pouch, and head for the door.

"Heey, gimme back my shit!" Rowan calls out but doesn't come after me.

Buddo tapping his front hooves urgently, and the screen is blinking red.

"I know, I got it." I slip the coins in, and the screen settles on "30min".

I give Buddo's muzzle a hug, and turn just as a man runs by like his ass is on fire.

"Woah!" I gasp. "Hey, watch it!"

Two more people are running.

I climb up on Buddo to get out of the way. People on both sides of the street are all running the same direction, and cars are trying to zip around each other to get away from something.

Rowan comes to the window and knocks.

I shrug and shake my head at him.

"Get outta here!" A man shouts. "Run, it's gonna kill us all!"

"What is?!" I gasp, and look up the way the people are running away from.

The ground shakes, and physically rolls, tossing cars sideways. Buddo turns and hurries to avoid them.

"EM!" Rowan and Kento come running out of the restaurant; Kento with food still in his mouth. "Where's it coming from?"

"Just go up stream!" I turn Buddo, and he hurries against the current of people, toward whatever they're running from.

Lightning strikes the ground, in the middle of the day; not a black cloud in the sky. The ground shakes again, making Buddo stumble; an all-too-familiar wave of electric, crackling energy roars toward us.

Rowan and Kento flash with blue and orange light respectively, and I hold my hands up in front of me to block the oncoming energy.

A white barrier protects Buddo, Anzen, and I; Rowan an Kento are protected by their subarmor.

When the energy dissipates, a building collapses a few blocks away, more people are running, and screaming.

"Em, you gotta go!" Rowan pushes Buddo.

"What, Rowan, no!" I startle.

"You gotta go back to the restaurant!" Rowan exclaims.

"I'm _nott_ leaving!" I jump down off Buddo's back. "That attack was Armor of Halo!" I point to the collapsed building.

"I know, that's why you have to go!" Rowan panics.

"Not if Sage is inside that armor!" I point at Halo.

"Rowan, to arms, man!" Kento's pulling his yoroitam out of the front pocket of his overalls.

Halo is gearing up for an attack again.

"Shit! Em, I _mean _it!" Rowan snaps then runs, taking his yoroitama from his jeans pocket.

I stand here, like a looky-loo dumbass, and shake it off. Sage, or not, I'm _nott_ just gonna run around like a chicken with its head cut off.

"Love birds, let's go!" I run, catching Buddo's mane and he swings me up onto his back.

I can see Rowan and Kento up ahead.

"Get in gear, w'll distract him!" I shout as Buddo passes them.

"Fuckin' A, I said no! Em, godammit!" Rowan shouts.

I just ignore him, and uddo run s aat Hlo. Halo swings, but Buddo dodges, spits a raspberry and actually manages to make Halo watch him, distracting the armor.

'ARMOR OF HARDROCK!"

"ARMOR OF STRATA!"

Halo armor turns, and is moving toward the two warriors.

"Nuh-uh, asshole!" I gather my energy the way Kenbukyo taught me, and focus it s a wall.

Halo's attack hits the shimmering wall and, dare I say, it makes a 'huhh?' noise.

"Yeah." I nod. "Hey, wait a second." I squint at the msk and the darkness behind it. "Why are...you empty…?"

Halo pulls its sword back, moving oddly slow. Before it even finishes moving, though, it's hit in the chest with three arrows.

Just s quickly, Kento rushes the green armor, andknocks halo to the ground.

Rowan, in Strata's armor, grabs me, and leaps me to safety. "Stay here!" He leaps away and attacks Halo.

Anzen lands on my shoulders and croaks in question.

"Pff, of course not." I roll my eyes.

Kento and Rowan are having a hard time keeping Halo at bay.

"HEEEY, ASSHOOOLE!" I scream, manifesting a sword but in my rage, I wish I had a giant-effin-hammer to punt Halo with, like a croquet ball.

Ask and ye shall receive. The sword glows, forming a long, glowing handle and hammerhead.

Halo armor is right about to stab Kento in the back as he stumbles, but the hammerhead knocks Halo sideways like a ragdoll.

Anzen land us, and I use the momentum to dig my heels in and spin the fucker around so it crashes through the building it collapsed, all the while screaming out my frustration.

"AAAAAA~ND STAY DOWN!" I'm gonna be hoarse tomorrow, but maybe by tomorrow, I won't have to scream at hollow armor anymore.

There's a crowd forming around the battle,and they're cheering like this is an MMA fight, or something.

I look at Kento. He startles, and puts his hands up in surrender.

"Are you fuckingnuts?!" Rowan lands next to me. "Your little hammer stunt probably killed Sage!"

"There's nothing in there!" I argue. LEast of all, Sage!"

"Don't fuckin' wreck the armor in the process!" Rowan shouts back.

"Guys?" Kento sys, but he goes kind of forgotten.

"I don't give a fuck about the armor; let it get destroyed, throw it in the Hudson River. Whatever I have to do to get it out of our lives!"

Rowan stares at me, kind of stunned.

"IT's comin' baaack!" Kento's shouts reach us this time.

"What?!" I turn to look at the building.

"After that hit; no fuckin' way." Rowan agrees.

But sure enough, the Halo is just breaking walls to come out of the fallen building. S it walks toward us, the dents pop out, and it lifts its sword, glowing white hot.

"Thunderbolt cut." I whisper.

"GET DOWN!" Rowan waves to Kento.

But it's too late; the armor leaps right at us, and everything seems to move in slow motion. Rowan and I run one direction, Kento runs the opposite, Rowan wraps his arms around me, and then everything goes white-hot, and would have probably melted the skin off my face if I wasn't me and Rowan wasn't him. But it means Rowan just took the brunt of that.

When the literal dust settles, Ryo and Cye are here and Rowan is still covering me.

My voice croaks. "Rowan…" I chuckle. "Rowan?" My chest hitches.

Rowan slowly pushes himself up and his eyes are unfocused, but looking at me.

Halo armor is coming.

"No!" I shove Rowan aside, and Halo stabs me through the shoulder, purposeful; intentional; targeting me.

"EMIKO!" Ryo and Cyee shout.

Rowan fires an arrow, and Halo leaps away, taking its sword with it.

I don't taste blood, so neither my lungs or my stomach have been pierced, I assume, and really nothing hurts anymore. Maybe the stb wasn't so bad afterall.

A hand grabs the back of my shirt, and lifts me up over a shoulder, carrying me away from gunfire and flames.


	8. Because, Magic!

_**A/N: I DO NOT OWN RONIN WARRIORS; IF I DID, I WOULDN'T BE WRITING FANFICTION!**_

* * *

**Baby Magic! **A voice hisses.

I gasp, and open my eyes, and cough like I'm choking on the very air i'm breathing.

"Bloody hell." Cye sighs with relief. "Kento, she's coming to."

I open my eyes, and take a deep breath. My chest is heavy, and my head weights a ton. I squint,and try to get my bearings, but I have no idea where I am, or how I got here.

Kento crouches next to us and smiles. "Hey, pretty girl."

"Hey Kento." My voice urgles; hoarse, I knew it.

"Your bird glows." Kento says.

"Mm." I grunt. "Really?"

"Funny, it looked just like the jewel of life." Cye winks.

I mean, of course Sage and I had to tell everyone what Anzen did; it was the jewel of life, and she freaking _ate_ it."

"Funny." My energy is returning. "What happened?"

"We got our asses kicked." Kento grumps.

"Rowan!" I gsp, remembering his broken body.

"Ryo has him, he's cool." Kento reassures me. "The horse is sniffin around for them." He gestures vaguely with a thumb over his shoulder.

"Great, let's go. I push through the pain and Cye helps me stand up.

"Easy, lovey." Cye says.

I nod. "Let's go."

Buddo's got a scent and comically sniffs along the ground like a bloodhound. Cye supports me walking, and Kento walks ahead like a sentry.

"Are you in pain, lovey?" Cye asks as we walk.

"Just my pride." I mutter.

Buddo stops, snorts, sniffs the air then dances excitedly and leaps over the railing of the catwalk.

A girl shrieks.

Ryo shouts. "Woah, boy, woah!"

Kento gets down on his hands and knees, looking through the grate. "Hey, horse!"

Cye leans his head closer to me and whispers. "I think he's related to Buddo."

I snort and chuckle.

"Heey, you're that girl!" Kento does like Buddo and leaps over the railing.

"Oh yes." Cye chuckles. "Cousins." He helps me along.

We can clearly hear the ajida down below as we follow the catwalk to the stairs that lead down below.

"You're the girl that jumped us at the restaurant! You tried to kill Rowan!" Kento accuses.

"She was after _me_!" Rowan growls.

I'm so relieved to hear his voice.

"Still!" Kento exclaims. "She's involved, or my name isn't Kento Lei Fang!"

Cye whispers. "His name _isn'tˆKento Lei Fang. It's Xiulei Fuan." _ He smirks.

I snicker.

"Simmer down, Kento, she's cool." Ryo shouts.

Cye helps me down the stairs.

Rowan sits up and pushes himself to stand. "Em!"

"Careful, careful." Cye lets me go gently.

Rowan wraps his arms around me, keeping me from falling down. "I gotcha." He says softly.

Half-sobbing, I ask. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Rowan sniffs. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"Let me guess," Cye turns to Kento, an d puts his hands on his hips. "You overreacted. Again." He adds, turning and glancing at me and Rowan.

Kento shrugs. "Can I help it if I'm intense?"

"Well, you guys i did kinda break Manhattan." Runa snorts.

"So-sorry." Cye squints, and bites her lip. "Sort of."

"Guys." Rowan interjects. "Halo armor was empty."

Cye, Kento, and Ryo all fall silent.

"Yeah, what's up with that armor anyway? Are you guys, like, superheroes, or something?"

"Yeah, we're pretty super." Kento flexes an arm, smiring.

"You're my hero, Kento." I croak.

Kento turns and looks at me, wide-eyed, and blushing slightly.

I smile.

"Don't encourage him." Cye groans.

I wince in pain. "I want frozen yogurt, and a nap."

"Second." Rowan groans against me.

"I could go for that." Runa adds.

"Frozen yogurt and naps is only for people who got their asses kicked by mystical armor." Kento folds his arms.

"She did." I say. "Worse than any of us, believe me."

We head back to the Inn/Restaurant, but not before stopping at a bodega for frozen yogurt. Buddo pauses as we're approaching the street the restaurant is on. There are police lights and officers, and "Do Not Cross" tape.

"We shouldn't go this way." Rowan says, sitting behind me on Buddo's back.

"Oh yes we should." I grumble.

Buddo trots forward, carrying the bag from the bodega, dangling from his mouth.

"Oh, by the way guys-" Ryo says. "Your battle was on tv."

"Good!" I guffaw.

"Whatever, man." Rowan grumbles, chin on my shoulder.

Buddo just walks through the police tape, ignoring the police officers, and ducks under the door to get into the restaurant.

"Hey! Hey you kids! Get behind the line!" The cop grabs my injured shoulder.

I scream, and everything else goes silent. The cop takes his hand away, and there's blood on his fingers.

"What the hell? What happened to this girl? Where did you kids come from?"

"Your mother!" I shout, and go into the restaurant, holding my throbbing shoulder.

"Miss Ukitake!" Detective MacLean runs up. "What is it?" he reaches for me.

I backa way. "Don't touch me, I'm bleeding!"

"J.J.!" Detective MacLean shouts to the cop that grabbed me. "Get EMTs in here, now!"

The other cop runs off.

I sit on the nearest chair, and cry.

"Miss Ukitake," Detective MAcLean's voice goes softer. "I saw you on tv." He keeps his voice calm and low. "Was that the armor you tried to tell me about?"

I nod, still sobbing.

The EMT comes in, and cleans up my shoulder. So much for Anzen healing me, but she can't be expected to do everything.

Buddo sits nearby with the bag still dangling from his jowls. Detective Laytner tries to take it, but Buddo swings it out of his reach.

I manage to calm down and tell the detectives what happened, having been right in the middle of it.

Detective MacLean sighs, and rubs his neck, pouring another cup of tea for me.

"Thank you." I sniff.

"I think this is a little above my paygrade." Detective MacLean glances over to where Rowan is getting seen by Emts, and is talking to a detective.

"That's the guy that grabbed me." I frown.

"J.J. means well, and he speaks Japanese." Detective MacLean says, writing something down then looks up at me. "So what will you kids do next?"

I look around and spy the gong at the front of the restaurant, being photographed by the crime scene techs.

"What happened to the gong?" I ask.

Detective Laytner is coming over.

Detective MacLean sighs. "Someone vandalized it." He explains.

"Emiko!" Cye approaches. "Yuli and Mia are missing."

"We'll find them." Detective Laytner says as he comes to stand by detective Maclean. "The first 48 hours are critical. So, you kids better tell you everything you know."

I stand up shakily, but feeling better since the EMT bandaged me up. "I know you won't find them."

I walk over to Cye, and we go over to where Mr. Chin is talking to Ryo.

"COWARD!" Kento jumps up from a chair, and punches the gong.

"AA!" I jump into Cye. "Kento, sheesh!"

"HE'S SCARED, SO HE TAKES OUR FRIENDS!" He punches the gong again.

"Chill out, Kento!" Cye scolds him.

I let out a breath and shake my head. "Mr. Chin?" I ask. "What happened?"

Mr. Chin pouts.

Ryo replies. "The sorcerer has ninjas, and he took Mia and yuli."

"Sorcerer?" I startle.

"She didn't see it, man." Rowan says then says to me. "The sorcerer; ugly old fuck controlling Halo, revealed himself to us."

"What does the gong say?" I ask.

"Come to Little Tokyo in Los Angeles." Rowan says.

"What's Little Tokyo?" I ask. "Is he making fun of us? Was he in Japan this whole time?"

"No, no," Cye shakes his head. "It's like Chinatown here in New York."

"Oh." I pout.

"Holy shit, they could be gettin' on a plane; those cops gotta check the airports!" Rowan exclaims.

"No, you don't understand; they just vanished into thin air."Mr. Chin sighs. "I couldn't stop them, and took Mia and Yuli. Those poor kids. It's all my fault."

"It's not your fault." I say. "It's because magic."

Ryo nods. "Exactly."

Detective MacLean comes up behind us, and asks. "Do you guys have some information about the kidnapping?

"I told you. It's the armor, and you're not going to find our friends; only we are." I start to get a headache. "I need to lie down.

"Magic, possessed armor?" Detective MacLean asks.

"Yeah, like we've been trying to tell you this whole time!" Rowan shouts at him.

"Can you be sure, without a doubt, this isn't human?" Detective MacLean asks.

We all look at each other then I nod. "Absolutely.

Detective MacLean nods. "Alright. Mr. Chin, we'll look into the break in, but go ahead and file your insurance papers; we'll follow up with you in a couple of weeks."

"And the kidnapping?" Detective Laytner asks.

"Omit that." Detective McLean says. "Mistaken eyewitness."

Detective Laytner clicks his pen, raises an eyebrow then shrugs. "Whatever. Not like I wanna write 'magic possessed armor on my 5's anyway."

"We'll send you a copy of the police report, Mr. Chin, to file with your insurance company." Detective MacLean says.

Mr. Chin nods. "Thank you, officers."

Detective MacLean looks at me one more time, like he's going to say something, and then goes after his partner.

I'm still tired, in pain, and can't do anything right this second. Buddo shakes the bodega bag at me.

"Bring it with you." I groan.

"Buddo tromps up the stairs behind me.

"Left." Rowan says.

I go into the room on the left. Buddo sticks his head in, and snorts at me.

"Oh." Turning, I take the bag. "Don't go far, okay?"

Buddo plops himself down next to the door so anyone coming in has to go under his head.

Rowan gives Buddo's big jaw a pat as he goes past. "Big fuckin' dog ya go here, Em."

I'm barely listening; mostly sleeping, the bodega bag dangling from my fingers over the edge of the bed.

Sage is reading, it's Sunday, and we're just enjoying each others company. Buddo's running around outside, chasing a badger that burrowed into the yard a couple days ago. I think the badger is just fucking with him anyhow.

"Are you okay?" Sage asks.

"No." I say, my head lying on his lap. "I miss you."

"I love you." Sage tucks my hair back, leaving blood streaks where he touches my skin.

I wake up in the room at the Dragon's Nest.

"Lovey, can you please explain to this moron why he shouldn't be doing that?" Cye points to where Rowan is doing crunches on the bed.

I prop myself up on an elbow. "Hey," I snap my fingers at him. "Moron," I grumble. "Don't do that."

Rowan smirks but continues on.

"I put your ice cream in the freezer downstairs, in the kitchen." Cye adds.

"Frozen yogurt." Rowan and I both say.

"Oh, what-_ever_." Cye rolls his eyes then asks with intrigue. "What flavor is it?"

"Lemon." Rowan says.

"Cake batter." I reply.

Cye stands up, glances at me then runs to the door.

"Hey!" Rowan shouts.

"Thief!" I shriek and go after him, arm still tied up in a sling.

"Sick 'im, Em!" Rowan laughs.

Cye's waiting in the hall.

I hop up onto his back, and carries me down the hall and down the stairs.

Runa and Ryo are sitting at one table, talking quietly.

"Fascinating turn, don't you think, lovey?" Cye says to me but loud enough for Ryo and Runa to hear.

"Fascinating, and intriguing." I nod.

Cye kicks the kitchen door open, and carries me through.

"Well, hello!" Mr. Chin beams.

"Hi." I give him a little wave. "Cye, did you have to kick the door?"

"I couldn't very well push it with my arms; they're carrying something." Cye squints at me.

I blink at Cye, and don't respond.

Kento chuckles. "Nice come back, pretty girl."

"Thank you." I frown as Cye puts me down on a chair, and goes for the freezer.

"So, what's up?" Kento asks.

"You didn't eat my frozen yogurt, did you?" I pout.

Kento feigns indignance. "What am I, a monster?"

"No, of course not." I smile.

At the same moment, Cye says. "Of course you are!"

"Harsh, dude." Kento gives Cye a frown and disapproving thumbs-down.

Cye gets the frozen yogurt from the freezer, and joins us at the table.

Kento leans over, eyeing the container.

"Back, back!" Cye defends the container with a spoon. "You, yogurt-eating monster."

I shake my head, choosing not to intervene.

Cye turns his back on Kento, spooning the frozen dessert out of the container then sees me staring at him, my head tilted slightly and frowning sadly.

"I mean," cye holds the spoon out. "Open up for the yogurt plane?" He grins sheepishly.

I shrug. "Oh what the hell." I lean forward, open my mouth, and bite off the ice cream. "Agh! Blech, lemon! Ew!" I shake my head.

"Oh right, you said cookie dough, didn't you?" Cye slides the container to Kento, and goes back to the freezer.

"Cake batter!" I correct him, trying to rub the taste of milky lemon off my tongue with the roof of my mouth.

"Whatever." Cye sets the container in front of me. "Feel better froyo for the lady." He crouches down. "Back upstairs; you need as much rest as the rotter already in bed."

"Fine." I grab the container, hop onto Cye's back, and he carries me back upstairs to the room.

Rowan is leaning on the headboard, with his hands behind his head.

"Hey." I hold out one container. "I narrowly rescued this from Kento, and it's freezing my thumb; please take it."

Rowan reaches over as Cye carries me past, and sets me on the opposite bed.

"Thank you." I sigh with relief.

"So, lovey, while you were sleeping, I did some thinking." He walks over to the little couch and sits down.

"Ehem, _bitch_." Rowan says, eating the frozen yogurt we brought him. "_Who _was thinking?"

"_We_," Cye glares briefly at Rowan. "All things considered, _we_ think you should stay here, and not to go to L.A."

I whimper angrily.

"Yes, yes, I thought you might say that." Cye waves a hand at me.

"Here's the thing," Rowan interjects. "You got _stabbed_ by loverboy's fucking armor and he may be dead."

"And god forbid Emiko see a dead body; boy oh boy she's soooo fragile." I scoff, and roll my eyes. "Jerks."

"Now, lovey." Cye starts to protest.

"Spare me." I stand up, and walk to the door.

Out in the hallway, Buddo's letting Anzen preen his mane. He whimpers at me as I sit down next to the horse's front legs, and eat.

Buddo leans his head down, ears perked inquisitively.

"What?" I keep eating.

Buddo snuffles my hair.

Anzen shimmies down Buddo's muzzle.

I sigh. "Rowan and Cye want me to stay here, and not go to L.A. to save Sage."

Buddo snorts indignantly, and stomps a front leg, like, 'the nerve!'.

Anzen lifts her beak into the air haughtily.

"I'm considering it." I say, spoon in my mouth.

Buddo and Anzen both make a noise like. 'Whaaat?'.

"Well, I'm in no condition to fight." I point to my shoulder, exposed from the top I got in the airport. It's healing more, and scarring, thanks mostly to Anzen's healing efforts.

They both sulk.

"That's disappointing." Runa says.

Looking up, Runa comes over, and squats next to me. "By the way, sorry I tried to stab your brother."

I smile. "It's cool; dumbass shouldn't have pulled that knife out of the body anyway."

"Yeah, who does that? Doesn't he watch any cop shows?" Runa scoffs and sits next to me.

I hand her the frozen yogurt. "No. He watches stars and planets."

"Is that some Japanese gameshow?" Runa asks, eating frozen yogurt.

I bust up laughing.

"What?" Runa shrugs.

"No way, I mean _stars and planets_; like with a telescope."

Runa covers her mouth. "Oops." She chuckles through her nose.

"Japanese gameshow-get-outta-here." I snicker.

Runa laughs.

Maybe if we met under better circumstances, we could be friends.

"I was really hoping us girls could go kick ass and save your boyfriend. And, y'know, she shrugs. "Maybe avenge my brother too, while we're at it."

I see Sage laughing at my stupid jokes, getting all embarrassed when I catch him undressing, pretending he's not with the girl drunkenly singing 'livin' la vida loca' on karaoke. Then I think of that dream I had, and Sage with no face.

"You okay?" Runa asks then holds out the pint. "Eat more. Frozen yogurt makes everything better."

I stammer. "Um-yeah you're right." I nod. "Let's go get 'im."

"Yay!" Runa gasps and hugs me. "We'll be ninja-demon-exterminator-best-friends!"

I smile as she hugs me excitedly


	9. Ninjas Ate My Homework

_**A/N: I DO NOT OWN RONIN WARRIORS; IF I DID, I WOULDN'T BE WRITING FANFICTION!**_

* * *

One of Mr. Chin's waitresses is going to nursing school, and wraps up my arm the way a hospital would. It's basically mummified to my chest and shoulder, so I can't move it at all, but I'm not planning on doing anything that would require two arms anyhow.

"We fuckin' _talked_ abotu this!" Rowan shouts.

"Not _technically_." Cye interjects.

"No, you did _not_ talk to _me;_ you talked _at _me!" I yell back at him asI head down the hallway.

"That's bullshit, Em! What the hell do you expect you're gonna fuckin' do with a busted up arm, huh?" Rowan waves a hand at said bandages.

"I got _legs_." I shrug. "So, kick 'em in the shins and call them names." I say in all seriousness.

"A lovely idea." Cye agrees.

"You!" Rowan points at Cye. "You're not fuckin 'helping!"

"Well, I'm not helping _you_, that's for certain." Cye scoffs.

"Are you guys gonna fight _all the way_ to L.A.?" Kento whines. "It's, like, a six hour flight you guys; seriously."

"Fuck off!" Rowan shouts.

"No, Kento, I wouldn't do that to you." I say calmly, walking over to Cye.

Cye and Mia separate Rowan and I on the plane, putting me by a window on one side of the aisle, and Rowan by a window on the other side and back one row.

Runa sits between me and Ryo, talking about never having been on a plane before, and under better circumstances this might be a fun trip.

Cye leans across the aisle. "Fun fact; LAX is the fourth largest airport in the world." He nods. "And you can take that to the bank."

Runa beams. "No way! How do you know that?"

"Because Rowan just mumbled it behind me." Cye says proudly.

"How does your brother know that?" Runa asks me curiously.

"He smokes, and he knows things." I mumble to the window.

"Ohh~" Runa awes. "Is actually some kind of genius?"

"Sometimes." I sigh. "Mostly he's just high, and an asshole." I scratch my forehead with my good hand.

Runa giggles. "Brothers are great."

Buddo stayed behind so Mr. Chin wouldn't be alone, but Anzen is flying alongside the plane, diving in and out of the clouds, and generally enjoying herself.

I sleep the rest of the way, and there's a hold up after we land. Life goes on, I guess, even when you're chasing demon ninjas.

We're out in the middle of the tarmac, and it's been an hour already.

Runa leans over to me, and whispers. "Make a scene."

"What?" I whisper back.

"Make a scene and yell in Japanese. Then whatever happens next, just go with it." Runa insists.

Shrugging, I sigh. "Sure, not like there's anything else to do." I stand up, and start ranting in Osakaben, waving my good arm.

The flight attendant backs toward first class, her eyes wide and horrified.

"No, baby, sit down!" Runa stands up and hugs me in the aisle. "I know, we came all this way!"

"Um, miss...es; I'm sorry-" the poor woman doesn't get a chance to finish.

"My fiance just wanted to get her surgery in America; the best surgeons in the world, _before_ we walk down the aisle. Can you just imagine how _beautiful_ she'll look in her L.A. wedding dress? Her new arm holding her bouquet? But now we'll never make it to the hospital with all these delays!" Runa turns on the waterworks.

"Hey, you can't keep these girls here!"

"For the love of god, release the lesbians!"

"You're gonna have a human rights lawsuit on your hands!"

The crew panics and gets everyone off the plane with a shuttle (golf cart) to the terminal. We're sent off with congratulations and well-wishes that Runa milks the hell out of then turns calmly to us.

"So how do we get to Little Tokyo?" Runa grins.

We don't. Get there, that is; it's blocked off...at least until Anzen bites through the police tape on one far side, and we all slip in to investigate.

"Smell that?" I sniff the air.

Runa inhales. "Oh man, what's that?"

"Ever smelled an electrical explosion?" Rowan asks.

"No." Runa gasps.

"Yes you have." I give her a pointed look.

"By the way," Kento pipes in. "Did we _really_ have to bring 'Miss Nutso' along?" He frowns in Runa's direction.

"Well, she _did_ get us off the plane, didn't she?" I say pointedly.

Runa turns, walking backward for a second to say. "If you've got something to _say_, just _say_ it." then faces forward again, walking next to Ryo.

"Will you two _stop it_? I separated Emiko and Rowan so we wouldn't have to hear siblings bickering the whole time; you sound _just like_ each other!"

"No way!" Runa says over her shoulder.

"At least I don't go for the jugular when _I_ first meet someone." Kento scoffs.

"You _don't_?" Cye and I snark at once.

"Hey!" Kento says over his shoulder where Cye and I are walking.

"Just imagine." Runa makes a sweeping gesture with her arm then walks backward again. "What'd I do if I _didn't_ like you." She sticks her tongue out then turns around again.

Cye slides _me_ a squinting look.

"What?" I shrug my one shoulder. "_I _didn't say anything."

Right head of me, Rowan stops, turns, and glares at me.

Cye folds his arms, frowning at Rowan.

I stare at Rowan, daring him to say whatever-it-is.

Rowan takes the ball cap off, puts it on my head, bill facing forward then flips the bill over my face. Not hard, and it doesn't hurt; he's still mad but...less. It's a Rowan thing.

"Is that progress?" Cye asks.

"Mm-hm." I hum beneath the bill then tip the hat up so I can see where I'm going.

"Where do you think, guys?" Ryo asks. He takes the yoroitama out of his pocket; the others do the same. "Split up. Two blocks out; come back. No one goes alone."

"I'm with Ryo!" Runa grabs his arm excitedly. "I mean," she composes herself. "I don't have superpowers, so I think I should go with Ryo."

"Uh-huh." Kento frowns.

Rowan walks up, takes my good hand, turns it palm up, and sets his yoroitama in it, and then walks away.

I look at the ball then look at Cye.

Cye looks at the ball then looks at me.

"Well," I say, tossing it up then catching it. "I guess I'm going with him."

"Hm." Cye grunts then turns. "Tally-ho then." He grabs Kento by one overall strap, and drags him along.

Rowan's walking slow, and an aptly wider strider than necessary, and glances over his shoulder as I catch up and walk next to him.

We toddle along, Rowan pausing once in a while to move my hand around with the ball in it, shrugs, and moves on. I don't mind the silence; it feels like this whole rescue operation has been noise, noise, noise.

"How's your shoulder?" Rowan asks.

"It itches." I do a little hopping dance.

"Means its healing." He mumbles.

"Yup." Keeping the tama in my hand, I grab Rowan's nearest arm and twist it around me so his arm is draped around my shoulders and the tama is in his hand.

Rowan holds me securely and kisses my head (the hat). "Don't make me lose ya, okay?"

"No promises." I say, leaning on him. "But I'll make an active effort to _not_ die."

"Here." Rowan holds the ball between his index finger and thumb. "Feel this."

I take it. "Ooh!" I gasp. "Oooooh." the ball is vibrating pretty hard. I look at Rowan, grin mischievously, and put it in the pocket of my pants.

"Hey!" Rowan snaps. "Gimme." He squints one eye at me, and snaps his fingers.

"Just kidding." I hold the ball out to Rowan. "That's neat though, whatsit mean?"

"Means we're close." Rowan looks over and sees a graveyard.

"So, it's gonna get stronger?" I grin.

"Don't." Rowan reaches for the ball, but I dodge, and his hand hits my shoulder, making me wince, cry out, and drop the ball.

"Aaaaa…." I growl.

"Sorry. Hey!" Rowan shouts at Anzen.

Anzen picks up the glowing blue ball, and hops away with it, cackling.

"No, get her!" I point.

"Fuck the bird, what's she gonna do?" Rowan helps me up.

"The last magic stone she got ahold of, she _ate_! So, get her, stupid!" I point after the hopping avian menace.

"Nononono-fuck! Hey! Hey, hey, hey!" Rowan runs after Anzen.

Anzen goes into the graveyard, hopping sideways and staying out of Rowan's reach.

Some crows overhead start cawing at Anzen, making the big white bird stop.

"GOTCHA!" Rowan grabs Anzen. "Drop it!" He pinches the ball. "Donchu fuckin' eat that!"

Anzen growls, tugging back.

Rowan lets go of Anzen, but keeps ahold of the ball, the bird dangling from it and growling.

I have to laugh; whatever her problem is, is just hilarious.

"Geezuuuuus!" Rowan growls then looks at me. "Are you seein' this shit?"

"Yes." I nod, walking up. "Yes, I see it."

Anzen clucks, which makes her let the ball go, and she falls to the ground with an indignant squawk.

"Hey, at least buddo wasn't here to see you make an ass out of yourself." I chuckle.

But a horse neighs with laughter, and lo and behold, the big man himself is rolling around on the grass nearby, cackling and snorting.

"Dude!" I exclaim. "What happened to keeping Mr. Chin company?"

Buddo rights himself and grins sheepishly.

"Don't you grin at me, mister; how did you get here?" I march up to him, Anzen hopping along with me.

Buddo gets up, and runs in place.

"You _ran_ here?" I raise an eyebrow in disbelief. "You _ran_, from _New York_ to _california_?"

Buddo sits in that doggish way that he does, shrugs, and nods.

Rowan snorts.

"Okay," I sigh. "I'll buy it."

"Nah, that's horse shit." Rowan grumps.

Buddo, Anzen, and I all stare at Rowan. Then Buddo neighs with laughter, and rolls onto the ground.

Anzen and I look at each other, daring the other to laugh.

"Good god," cye gasps. He and Kento are coming around another way. "Why is the horse here?"

"He fuckin' _ran_." Rowan scoffs, rolls his eyes, and walks away down the path, deeper into the graveyard. "Ball says Sage is this way."

"Yes, we know, thank you." Cye waits for me as Kento heads off after Rowan. "So, what's the joke?" He smirks.

"Oh, when Buddo told us he ran here, Rowan called him on his 'horseshit'." I shrug.

Cye guffaws.

Ryo and Runa are around, too; standing where four graves form a border around a grassy, patchy concrete slab.

Ryo, Kento, Cye, and Rowan hold their yoroitama closer together and the tama start to ring together with one tone.

"Woah." Runa whispers. "How are they doing that?"

"Got me." I shrug. "I didn't know their balls could find each other."

Cye groans in exasperation.

Kento makes this awkward face and silently laughs.

Ryo shakes his head, and closes his eyes.

"Nice one." Rowan snorts.

"What?" I start, looking around.

Runa's chuckling behind her hand. "You said, _their balls_ can _find each other._"

I sigh. "Oh, for...I meant the armor thingies." I wave a hand at my four friends.

"Indeed." Cye raises an eyebrow. "But all the same, this _is_ where the signal is the strongest."

Kento smirks. "This is the part in the movies, where the bad guys would show themselves."

"This isn't a movie, Kento." Rowan rolls his eyes.

"But this _is_ L.A." I shrug.

"And?" Rowan shrugs.

Before I can answer, there's a grinding sound and as I turn and look behind me, there are four stone slabs sliding away from their graves; passageways that lead underground.

"Told ya." Kento snorts.

"Remember when I said, 'I'm gonna kick 'em in the shins, and call them names'?" I say to Rowan.

"And?" Rowan growls.

"It doesn't seem like a totally viable option now." I purse my lips.

"No fuckin' shit!" Rowan shouts.

There's a lull, and for the count of three, it seems like maybe whatever opened these passages just maybe is taunting us to come inside.

But no - out they come; ninjas!

"Ninjas!" Kento shouts in warning.

We scatter, and the ninjas throw something that strikes into solid stone as if it were butter. I gasp as I run past it, following Rowan.

"The kunai! Rowan!" I shout.

"I see it!" He throws the armor ball into the air, and leaps up, doing a backflip around it, and lands between me and the ninja that was chasing us, blocks a blade with his left arm, and punches the ninja in the mask with his right fist. The ninja falls to the ground, just a pile of armor, and oily black smoke shushing out of it.

"Oh my god…" I whisper, reflexively stepping aside from the seeping black smoke.

Then, with a howl, a ghostly white figure flies out of the body, and goes into one of the open graves.

"Rowan." I grab Rowan with my good hand, and shake his arm. "You saw that, right? You fucking saw the netherspirit, right?!"

"Yeah, Em, I fuckin-DUCK!" Rowan covers me as a ninja is coming toward us.

Buddo kicks the oncoming ninja, and headbutts another, skidding to a stop next to us.

"Buddo! Netherspirits!" I shriek.

Buddo gasps, and looks around.

Anzen hops up and down in agitation.

"They came from underground! I bet that's where they're keeping Sage." I point to the open grave nearest us, but it's slowly starting to close. "Aa! Buddo, get it!"

Buddo leaps over and pries the grave open easily enough with his great big huge hooves. Anzen and I jump in and move so Buddo can follow.

"Come on!" I wave to Buddo.

Buddo shakes his head, his whimpers sounding like, 'uh-uh, nooo way, lady. No sir, not me; not going in the scary, dark grave. Nope.'

"Get _down_ here!" I shout. "Or I'm going in alone!"

Buddo lands next to me, groaning.

"Okay." I make a fist with my good hand, and blow into it like blowing up a balloon, and a bubble of light expands and brightens. That done, I release the glowing magic light bubble, and it illuminates a human face right in front of me.

"AA!" I fall backward.

Runa snorts, and holds out a hand. "Sorry, bestie."

Using my good arm, I grab her hand and she helps me up.

"Runa, what the hell?" I gasp, the balloon growing brighter so as to illuminate the girl.

"Well," Runa pokes the bubble but it doesn't pop. "you seem to know what you're doing. So, let's go find your boyfriend."

I sigh. "Alright." I look down the long, dark tunnel ahead of us.


	10. Luck Is Contagious

_**A/N: I DO NOT OWN RONIN WARRIORS; IF I DID, I WOULDN'T BE WRITING FANFICTION!**_

* * *

Despite being completely uncomfortable in tight, dark spaces, I take comfort that _this time_ I have Buddo, Anzen, and my new Bestie, Runa. I personally don't believe you have to know someone for your whole life to consider them a friend; I knew Rowan for five minutes and clicked immediately, same with Runa. True, the first time I met her, she called rowan a murderer, but underneath that, we're the same; we cherish the people in our lives, to a fault, and her grief was just more than she could bear, so she lashed out.

I would know; I've been there.

Above, we can hear some kind of heavy mechanisms engaging, what the hell do these people here have going on? And why are there Netherspirits? There's light ahead, and we come out above a huge room.

"Get down." I whisper and pull Runa down. Buddo ducks down. I put my finger to my lips and nod slowly at Buddo.

Buddo inches backward a smidge.

This bannister is made of shoji screen, with little, slit-width spaces where the seams between each screen are. I slip over to one, and peer through it to see what's going on.

Down below is massive, probably spans the entire length and width of the graveyard above us, plus some. I can see a pool of water set into the wood-planked floor below. It's blank but I get a definite vibe from it.

"Emiko." Runa whispers, and waves me to come over where she's sitting.

I crawl over as quietly as I can, taking care that my steps don't make a sound.

"Look." Runa whispers and points toward the opening in the panels by her.

There's a setup that seems to be suspended in mid-air by huge red and gold pillars. On the concrete wall behind the platform, there is a huge opening with an eerie orange light coming through it. On either side of the opening are huge, inset red eyes watching over the platform.

There's a six-pointed star with a cocoon of wires connected to it, and a green a white body suspended there. Just below it is Halo itself at rest.

"Sage." I whisper.

"Where are the ninjas?" Runa whispers.

"This is your _last chance_, young samurai." the man at the computer says loudly. "Raise the prisoners from New York!"

There's a crunch of gears and a rope is lifting a couple of people into the air.

"Leggo!" Yuli kicks and wriggles.

"COWARDS!" Sage shouts but then screams in pain as electricity visibly crackles across his body.

I have to cover my mouth so I don't alert these guys to my presence by screaming.

"Shh, we'll get them out." Runa whispers.

"Use your will to activate the armoor." the man at the computer demands.

"Sage, don't do it!" Mia shouts. "That computer is trying to analyze your armor!"

I try to peer around, but don't see anyone else around. "Lucky break." I whisper. "Computer guy is alone."

"So what's our play?" Runa whispers.

"He's just one guy; even one-armed, I can take him." I turn to look at Buddo and Anzen. "You guys ready?"

Buddo and Anzen nod.

-If they really wanted to control the armor, they'd kill Sage.- My voice echoes around us.

Runa and I look at each other.

-Yeah.- Rowan says. -Let's hope they didn't figure that out.-

"We know you're here." the man at the computer calls out. "You're quite the detective; following all of our clues in New York."

I shake my head at RUna, and put a finger to my lips.

-_Some fuck was definitely lookin' for somethin'-_ Rowan's voice says over the same speaker system.

-_Not looking for. Found.-_ I was in the hotel room with Rowan then. We'd just found Sage's suitcase and room ransacked, and the pouch that held the armor ball empty.

"We knew someone might come looking for him." The man at the computer sighs. "You must really love him. And you were right, we will kill him eventually - sooner rather than later if you don't surrender."

I press my lips shut; they're guessing because of the commotion outside. They don't actually know we're here.

"You have ten seconds." A gunshot fires and hits the stone wall to the right of where we are. "Then I kill the captives first."

"AAAA!" Yuli screams.

"No! Kill ME! ME!" Mia screams.

"Ten!"

Runa stares in fear at me.

"Nine!"

Peering through the gap in the railing, I can see him pointing a handgun at Yuli.

"Eight!"

"NO!" Mia's trying to turn so she's in the line of fire.

"Seven!"

"Emiko." Runa whispers.

"Six!"

I shake my head. "He won't."

"Five!"

The computer beeps and the man puts the gun down. Above us, a hole opens up in the ceiling, and here come the guys; falling and they splash into the water below.

"Nice of you to join us." the man smooths his hair back. "I was just having a little chat with your friends." He's pontificating; good, it means he's distracted.

"Come on." I whisper. "Stay down." We move along the railing, the staircases are solid stone walls for railings.

"At this point, I'm really only interested in your fantastic suits of armor, and thanks to the girl, I now know I don't need bodied to analyze it." He enters something on the keyboard. "Death by electrocution is really quite painful, but I have sensitive ears, so do try not to scream."

"That's what gets me; he has hostages, they were bait for the ronins. He has nothing left to keep anyone alive now.

"NO!" I stand up, revealing myself.

Runa stays down.

I can see his oily smirk from here. "Ahh, so _there_ you are. You're quite good at sneaking around."

I walk down the stairs quickly.

"That injury looks painful," his smirk gets more sinister. "Was that _our_ doing?"

I don't answer, just keep moving toward him.

"Nice to meet you," he doesn't mean that. "Please, join us - it's so much more satisfying when I have an audience." He presses a key and the eyes in the wall fire beams of some kind into the water.

Above, Mia's swinging herself and Yuli back and forth. I don't bring too much attention to them by staring, even closing my eyes against the sounds of my friends screaming in pain.

"STOP IIIT!" Yuli shouts, swinging right toward the man, his short legs kicking out, and graze the guy's head. The momentum swings Mia around, she gets him square in the temple with her black loafer pumps, and as he falls, he jostles the computer.

The beams stop.

"BUDDO!" I call out.

Buddo leaps over the railing, with Runa on his back, trumpeting triumphantly. Anzen divebombs the computer guy, keeping him on the floor.

"AA! No, GET AWAY!" He swipes and shrieks pitifully.

The guys leap up out of the water, coming to help.

Buddo leaps past the rope Yuli and Mia are dangling from, and Run grabs onto it, cutting it with her knife. Mia and Yuli plummet, but Anzen catches the rope, landing them safe and sound on the floor.

So far so good, I guess. Seems our luck is contagious; Runa hops off Buddo and cuts Mia and Yuli's bonds. Mia scrambles to get up, and goes over to where Ryo and Cye have the computer guy restrained; each holding one of the guy's arms, and keeping the guy on his knees. Kento's found some ninjas to play with, sending each one sailing over the wall, into the water below while saying, "this one's for kidnapping Sage! This one's for hurting our pretty girl! This for my uncle's restaurant! This one's for my uncle!" he has one ninja left, looks him up and down then just tosses him over. Turning, he calls out with a hand to one side of his mouth. "I'm outta ninjas!

"Thanks, Kento!" I call back, waving with my good arm, and then see Rowan helping Sage down out of his restraints.

"Easy." Rowan says.

"You're...the _last_ person...I expected." Sage jokes hoarsely.

"I may not like ya much," Rowan looks at me as I step up toward them. "But she sure does, and I like her okay."

"Emiko." Sage's voice croaks.

"Hey, speed racer." I smile. "How's your trip?"

Sage shakes his head. "I hate New York."

I chuckle slightly, and hug him with my one good arm.

Sage presses his lips to whatever part of my face is closest, and as I turn my head, he presses his lips to mine.

"YOU IMBECIIILE!"

The haggered voice echoes all around us.

All of us turn to look.

"Emiko, stay behind me." Sage says gently, and guides me behind him.

I let him, but I keep my eyes on the silhouette standing in the space between the eyes, the eerie orange light behind him.

"It's him." I whisper.

"What?" Rowan and Sage startle.

"You had these _brats_ right in the palm of your hand!" He's stumpy, with thinning white hair, and a mushed-in looking face.

"I'm sorry, master!" The computer guy wails, falling to his hands and knees.

"It was-!" he spies me then points. "It was her! She's the who interrupted our attack on New York!"

"Tattle tale." I glare at him.

"You tried to kill Emiko!" Sage exclaims. "Means I owe you some payback, asshole!" He gently pushes me aside. "ARMOR OF HALO!"

"IDIOT!" Rowan shouts, but it's too late.

Sage glows with a brilliant green light, and when it fades, he's wearing the armor of Halo.

"Children." the old man mutters.

Sage rushes the little man, but the little man leaps up, completely dodging the attack.

"Sage!" I gasp. "Don't just stand there; help him!" I punch Rowan in the arm.

Before anyone can do anything, the little man is chanting, and the pool of water glows with an eerie purple light. It's not a language I've heard ever, and sounds like a bunch of growling and hissing.

A beam shoots out of the pool, at each Ronin, and latches them into spread-eagle positions. They all rise up, into the air, and the air grows heavy and foreign; whatever is in that pool is _not_ water.

"Mia!" yuli exclaims.

The computer guy is back in charge, and has a gun pointed a Mia.

There's something symbiotic about the computer system and the little gremlin man's magic.

Now all five ronin warriors are on a six-pointed star thing and are writhing in pain.

"No mistakes this time!" The little gremlin man growls. He then looks at me and mutters. "Baby Magic."

That's it. _That's_ who he is.

"Em, NO!" Rowan shouts. "Don't-AAA-be a fuckin' hero!"

I shake my head.

Runa's circling around, trying to get the jump on the little gremlin sorcerer man, her knife drawn with purpose.

"All of you have meddled enough." The gremlin man draws his sword, and turns toward the platform where Yuli and Mia and I arm. "The blood of the innocent will feed the Lord!"

I feel something throb inside me, and I remember those visions I had in the netherworld. Those vivid visions, as if I were reliving something. Voices fill my head, bits and pieces of conversations beckoning me to remember.

_Are you Galra?!_ The white-haired elf princess accuses me.

_You're my sister...I love you._ A little brown-haired girl cries into my shirt.

_Food brings people together._ A big guy grins.

_I can do this, one hand tied behind my back, And hopping on one foot!_ A skinny guy proclaims proudly.

_Home is where the heart is, don't you think? A moustachiod older man says fondly._

_Guess we really lucked out. A guy I swear is Ryo smiles._

_I'll always….I can hear his voice, but it echoes and dissipates._

_I gasp and open my eyes._

_I'm sitting in a prison cell. There's a dead body on the floor. I hurry over and try to wake him. "Hey!" I look at my hands, and they have claws, but I go back to trying to wake him. "Hey!" I feel my chest hitch. "Shiro, don't you dare!"_

"EMIKO!" Mia screams.

I look up, and the gremlin man is about to slice me in half when Runa body slams him, and takes the slice instead.

"NO!" I scream. "RUNA!"

Runa's body slumps helplessly down to the floor, and settles in this crooked, unnatural way.

Her torso is crooked, and blood is pooling and pouring into the water (or whatever it is) in the pond the squatty gremlin sorcerer was mumbling about.

"Her blood will do just fine; the blood of vengeance will appease my lord." The sorcerer babbles then turns back to us. "She was a foolish girl."

"You're a monster!" I shout.

"Perhaps." The little gremlin man points his blood-smeared sword at me. "But you, my dear, are the real villain."

I shake my head.

"You're so pathetic; can't even control your own magic." he smiles in a way I only want to describe as wicked. "You could've stopped my blade, _before_ it sliced the girl."

Buddo runs and jumps at the little man, landing with a four-hooved stomp as the man disappears. He leans his big nose down and nudges my head.

"It's my fault, Bud." I sniff.

Buddo shakes his head insistently.

The world goes on behind me, and I'm vaguely aware of it.

Yuli runs over and jumps at the computer guy, grabbing his legs, and pulling him down to the beam right under him; crushing his junk. The computer guy squeals like a pig.

"Go, Mia, free the guys!" Yuli exclaims.

Mia gets on the keyboard, and types something in. "Go, go go!"

I hurry over to Runa, not knowing exactly what I expect I can do at this point, she's practically cut in half.

Anzen lands next to me.

Buddo hurries after me.

"RUNA!" Ryo slides down next, he reaches for her, but hesitates, shaking his head. "Runa." He tries to hold his sobs back. "Runa."

I'm kneeling in her blood, but so what? I look at Ryo, my face soaked in silent tears.

Ryo looks at me, and shakes his head, as if saying, 'it's not your fault'. Then Ryo looks over at the squatty gremlin man, and rage rolls off him like wildfire (go figure).

"I won't leave her here." I whisper.

"Just get to safety." Ryo replies.

"Mimi!" Yuli runs down.

"No!" Mia gaps. "Is she?"

"Help me get her up." I say absently.

"Emiko, how can-" Mia stammers.

"I'm not leaving her here, in this place!" I exclaim.

Mia nods, and Buddo kneels down so we can get Runa's body onto his back, so we can escape, and lay her to rest properly.

The goblin man watches us, but doesn't give chase. We're running through the tunnels, Buddo navigating instinctively. The walls begin to shake and crumble, and a dark humming tells me the white armor is at work.

The building we were under is the pagoda in the graveyard, and we watch helplessly as it collapses in on itself, down into the massive chasm that housed all that strange magical technology, and for a brief moment, I hold my breath, wondering if that's the last we've seen of demons, armors, and the like.

"GUYS!" yuli screams. "GUYS, NOO!"

"Yuli." Mia kneels down next to the boy as he sobs and sobs, thinking the guys are gone for good. I don't blame the kid; what were we all thinking? Could we have prevented this at all? Could I? Was that weirdo sorcerer demon right?

I had those vision again, too - who are all those people, and why am I cat monster in every vision?

Anzen walks over to Runa, and climbs up onto her body. I watch, empty of most of my emotions, and feeling so tired and beaten up, I don't have the strength to tell the bird to beat it.

Anzen spreads her wings, and opens her beak. The raven starts making this low, vibrating, guttural humming sound, and her body starts to glow; very dimly at first, and then slowly brighter and brighter.

Buddo dips his head way down,watching next to me.

Anzen's humming grows louder, and slowly louder still, and Runa's wound begins to glow; not her whole body, but just her wound.

Something shushes through the trees, and I see a figure crouched, watching. Go figure, there are Soul Reapers in New York. He sees me watching him and seems to teleport away.

Five glowing spheres shoot up out of the rubble of the pagoda; green, orange, red, blue, and white. The spheres land, and the guys have five identical expressions of awestruck confusion.

Sage sees me and immediately hurries over. He sits so I'm leaning on his chest, between his legs, and he holds he tightly, pressing lingering kisses to my head.

I keep watching Anzen.


	11. A Lifetime Supply Of Happiness

_**A/N: I DO NOT OWN RONIN WARRIORS; IF I DID, I WOULDN'T BE WRITING FANFICTION!**_

* * *

A 15 hour flight isn't so bad when your boyfriend is snoozing on the oversized first-class seat with you. Everyone found the energy to sleep, even Buddo, Anzen and White Blaze in the cargo hold. White Blaze was airmailed to us by an unknown benefactor, and after a jaunt around Central Park, we all headed gratefully home.

"I love these." I say, flipping through the photos we just got back from the developers. Selfies, group shots, yuli feeding swans in Central Park, Buddo making friends with a couple of police horses, White Blaze playing with a wayward soccer ball, Runa and Ryo crouched by a family of ducks crossing the path we were all walking on.

"Mmm!" Runa's chewing pizza, brushes her hands off, takes a sip of water then reaches out. "Lemme see!"

We're on the patio, enjoying a sunny day in August; it's muggy but nice - better than it was yesterday; blech! I hand the photos over and it gives me a chance to eat.

"Aww, I want this one." Runa holds up one of Anzen sitting on White Blaze, puffed up and sleeping. "I love her; I owe her _so much_."

"She's happy to help." I smile.

Runa has a long, silver scar that goes from her left armpit, all the way across her belly to her ribs on the right side. She's wearing shorts and a bikini top right now, so that's how I can see it.

"Does it hurt still?" I ask.

Runa shakes her head. "Not really; I think it's just the memory of it happening that makes me think it hurts." She shrugs casually. "What about you? How's your shoulder?"

I rotate it, and it clicks. "It makes a noise, but it doesn't hurt."

Runa snorts. "That's funny; you sound like a wind-up toy."

Buddo trots by, gleefully shaking a soccer ball in his mouth and prances as White Blaze leaps to get it.

"You get 'im, White Blaze!" Yuli runs up. "Gimme back our ball, heey!" Yuli giggles as he chase Buddo around with White Blaze.

Anzen walks up, a little waddle to her stride, and climbs up my leg, onto the chair arm, and onto the table, and proceeds to pick at the pizza in the box on the table.

"Hey!" Runa flicks the box lid. "Put that on a plate."

Anzen pulls a slice of pizza out and drapes it over my empty plate.

"Help yourself." I snort.

"Heeey," Yuli, having lost interest in chasing the big animals and the ball, comes over and gets on a chair. "You guys ate all the pizza!" He opens the box lid. "Oh no you didn't."

"And there's more in the kitchen." Runa chuckles.

"Unless Kento ate all that." I shrug, standing up. "I'm getting more coffee."

"You drink any more coffee, and you're gonna shoot off like a rocket into outer space!" Runa teases as I walk past.

I just shrug and head into the kitchen. I've been drinking caffeine since we got back; not wanting to take a moment to sleep or let my guard down. It's that same feeling I had after the demon war ended, and every shadow is potentially a demon again.

As i'm pouring coffee, Cye comes in with a book and an empty cup, and sighs. "You too, eh, lovey?"

"Yeah." I inhale the vanilla aroma of the coffee and let the breath out slowly.

"Your dad's upstairs, having words with Sage." cye says nonchalantly.

"Oh yeah? Good. That guy ran off so fast, all because of a sword, and look what happened." I frown at the coffee then take a sip. "He needs to vet his vetters."

"Indeed." Cye pours himself a cup. "But Central Park was nice, eh?" He leans on the counter next to me, and we drink coffee in silence for a minute.

"I'm not supposed to say anything," Cye murmurs to his cup. "But I want you know, I've been sleeping with your brother as of late."

"Really?" I look at Cye then look back at my cup. "Huh. Wouldn't have guessed."

Cye sighs gently. "Don't tell him I tattled." He leans over and kisses my cheek.

I smile a bit wryly. "No, your secret's safe with me."

Cye pauses, and smiles over his shoulder then leaves the kitchen. "Oh! Hello there; done being lectured by dad, are we?"

"Yeah, well…" Sage comes into the kitchen, and smiles at me then startles. "More coffee?" he walks over. "How many cups is that? Four?"

"Four-ish. Runa technically drank most of the second cup." I shrug, sipping the cup.

"Mind if I drink most of the fourth cup?" Sage smirks.

"Not really." I hand him the cup. "Have at. So, my dad didn't harangue you too hard, did he?"

Sage pauses, like I just told him a secret he thought he was keeping, but then it passes, and he sits at the island. "No. Just father-to-daughter's-boyfriend stuff."

"Mm-hmm." I sit adjacent to him, but then sigh. "After everything that happened, I don't really care what he said, as long as it wasn't 'stay away from my daughter, you vagrant'."

Sage sputters into the coffee, and coughs, grabbing the closest hand towel, and keeps coughing.

"Are you okay?" I startle. "What did I say?"

Sage shakes his head, his cough calming down somewhat. "Noth-thing."

"Who's choking?" Mia pokes her head in.

"Sage." I reply, leaning back a little to see Mia.

"Is he dying?" Mia raises an eyebrow.

"No." I say.

Mia just slinks out, wordlessly after that.

Sage has the cough out of control then sets the towel aside.

"Geez, what did I say?" I ask.

Sage sighs, and takes a sip of coffee then says. "Actually, it's what Juushiro said."

"What did he say?" I frown and fold my arms. "He's not being a pain, is he?"

"He said until the armor has been settled, I can't see you anymore." Sage sips the coffee again then looks at me, his eyes a little red from coughing, but his face is calm otherwise.

I'm not sure what to say about that. "I was joking." I finally hear my voice say.

"I know." Sage reaches over and puts a hand on one of mine. "But Juushiro isn't, and he's right."

I shake my head. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying as long as the armor is around, I should spend my time trying to get rid of it, instead of putting you in danger." Sage says in that calm, mansplaining way of his.

"Don't I get a say in this?" I ask.

Sage squeezes my fingers, and pulls my hand from my folded-up arms. He holds my hand as he finishes off the coffee.

I mean, I know he's right; I was saying the same to Rowan - destroy the armor, or whatever, but I didn't think it would mean the end of my first relationship.

"So, what are you gonna do?" I ask.

Sage puts the cup in the island sink, and sighs. "I'm not sure; just keep going day-to-day, I guess."

"I'm not afraid of the armor." I say.

Sage's face is unreadable as he replies. "You should be."

"Should we let it scare us away from each other though?" I bite my lip worriedly.

"I'm not." Sage says. "Your dad is."

"Did he threaten you?" I ask.

"The armor, which by proxy is me." Sage explains. "He's a good dad, don't get him wrong. And he's right." Sage leans over and kisses my forehead. "I love you, and I'm going to figure out a way to get this armor out of our lives."

I press my lips together, trying not to cry, and swallow hard. "But what if you can't?"

"I will." Sage says. "I'm giving myself until I'm twenty-one."

I pout, but also frown. "Why twenty-one?" I squint at him.

Sage smiles. "Because that's the year I go pro."

"Really?" I beam. "The lessened your sentence?"

"Yup. They called while I was away, and my dad told me; the F.I.A. was so impressed with the records I set, they want to instate me in the Japanese division when I'm twenty-one; besides, five years is like a life sentence." Sage rubs his head with his free hand.

I grin. "I'm so happy for you; that's amazing!"

"No matter what happens between now and then, I hope you'll be at the first starting line with me." Sage leans closer.

"Sure, but," I frown slightly. "Y'know, at this point it's only three years, right?"

Sage smiles, chuckling slightly. "My mistake."

THE END


End file.
